Live to Rise
by Bonesboy15
Summary: "Hey Twilight, did you hear about that Earth Pony that can teleport?" "Spike, you and I know that Earth Ponies can't use magic. Stop reading those comic books!" "But-but it's not magic!" "Sure, sure. Help me find this book..." Yup, Naruto in Ponyville, but with that lovable BB15 twist. Rated T for teen humor
1. The Return

**Go ahead and mock me. Laugh. See if I care. I decided to challenge myself and after a long research period (not to mention medical tests, blood drawings and looking at colleges) I've decided to publish this fic. This is a...Naruto and My Little Pony Friendship is Magic crossover. Naruto has been ponified, hell all of the characters have been...and I just made ponified a word on my Mac's spell check.**

**I know, I'm seeing a therapist after this. Something's gotta be wrong with me. I swear, childish stuff entertains the hell out of me for some reason...Ah well, whatever.**

**Here we go! Disclaimer away!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and My Little Pony is a product of the amazing Hasbro Company. I earn no profit from this...though I probably could.**

**Live to Rise**

**1: The Return**

* * *

Celestia's Sun hung high in the sky over the town of Ponyville. Ponies of all sizes and shapes were out and about, doing whatever it was that they did to earn their bits or spending said bits on food or fun. Pegasi were occasionally seen flying to the sky to clear out the clouds while unicorns were using their inherited magic to manipulate objects.

One pony in particular stood out as it trotted into the town's square. This pony was a stallion, his coat being a dark rusted orange that went well with his messy blonde mane and tail. Around his forehead was a black bandana with a metal plate on it. The metal plate had a spiral carved into it, which matched the symbol on his dark blue saddlebags. Blue orbs scanned the town and his whisker-marked cheeks spread into a small smile. His yellow tail swished back in forth, drawing attention to the spiral on his hindquarters. Around the spiral was a laurel wreath crown. It was his Mark (as a proud stallion he was hesitant to use the whole title of 'Cutie' Mark) that he had earned as a young colt.

"Just how I left it. Good!" The stallion said to himself with a nod. He turned his head when he heard a familiar whistling. Sighing to himself, the stallion waited before ducking as a blue blur shot over him and skidded into the ground. His blue eyes glistened with mischief as he slowly approached the downed blur, which was revealed to be a blue coated Pegasus. Her mane was nearly as messy as his, but was multicolored in a way that would remind one of a rainbow. The mark on her hindquarters was that of a cloud shooting a red, yellow and blue lighting bolt.

Shaking his head, the orange-coated Earth Pony arched his brow as he asked the Pegasus, "Did you miss me, Rainbow Dash?"

"...Ow..." groaned out the blue coated Pegasus. Planting her hooves on either side of her, the Pegasus pushed herself to all fours, shaking her head. Flapping her wings, the Pegasus took to the air and hovered in front of the orange Earth Pony with a pout, "Darn it Naruto, how do you keep doing that?"

"I'm just that awesome," the stallion, now known as Naruto, informed her with a grin, causing her to follow his example and smile before they chuckled at some unknown joke. Recovering from his bout of humor, Naruto asked, "What's everypony doing? Pinkie throwing another party for someone?"

The Pegasus rolled her eyes, "If you stuck around more often you'd know that Ponyville has been chosen as this year's host for the Summer Sun Celebration!"

"...And?" What was so special about that again?

Rainbow Dash slammed her front left hoof onto the top of the orange stallion's head, "You foal! Princess Celestia's going to come next week after she raises the sun!"

"First off," Naruto started as he rubbed the top of his head, "OW! Secondly, that's awesome. You in charge of the clouds again?"

"Duh," she replied before landing and taking a proud pose, "Who else but the _Awesome_ Rainbow Dash could keep our skies clear?"

"Well, Fluttershy could do it if she was asked nicely, though she'd need some prompting and support. And then there's Derpy, Sunstone, Silverspeed, Raindrops–" He was cut off by a swat from the Pegasus' tail. Rainbow Dash growled at him and crossed her forelegs over her chest as she hovered.

"Thanks for the support, Naruto," the mare grumbled before she was patted on the head by the orange stallion's right hoof.

"It's what I do," Naruto replied with a grin, "I'm gonna go unpack and tell Scoot I'm back. See ya around."

"See ya, Naruto! Oh, keep an eye out for Pinkie! She might try to throw you _another_ 'Welcome Home Again' party!" Rainbow Dash warned him, which he acknowledged with a nod.

* * *

Naruto trotted down the street with his head held high and giving a friendly nod whenever someone welcomed him back. The reason he was gone for so long was because of his personal joys and job. He was a writer like his godfather, and much like the old hermit, he took to exploring Equestria, travelling around for inspiration for his next novel. His parents died when he was very young, and so he was taken in and raised by his godfather. At least he didn't become a mare-chaser like him...

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts of his perverted godfather, he stopped in front of a quaint and modest home on the edge of town. Naruto went up the steps to the door and idly wondered if Scootaloo remembered to lock the door. A failed attempt to simply open the door answered that and a smile tugged at his whisker-marked cheeks. Scootaloo was becoming more and more responsible.

Probably because she thought he'd stick around more if she listened to him. A cruel way to teach, but it was how he was raised and he came out a decent stallion...sort of.

Shaking his head, Naruto dumped his saddlebags on the porch before digging through the left bag. With a small cry of success, Naruto pulled out his key and inserted it into the lock with his mouth before grabbing his saddlebags and pulling them back on. Turning the key with his hoof and then grabbing it with his tail (a skill learned from his godfather) as he entered the house. The door shut behind him and a weight suddenly appeared on his back.

Grunting slightly, Naruto looked up as two hooves were placed on his head and grinned, "Hey Scoot. How's life?"

"You're back! You're back!" Scootaloo, a young Pegasus filly with a light gamboge coat, exclaimed as she dropped from his back to the ground and hopped around him in glee, "Did ya bring me something? Get in any more fights? You finish your book? Are you gonna stay home for a while?"

"Whoa, whoa, easy there Scoot," Naruto said, putting a hoof on the filly's fuchsia mane covered head, "I just got in. Let me hang my bags, eh? Coming home to a miniature Pinkie Pie is not what I was expecting."

"School let out early cuz of the festival. Everypony's been asked to help in one way or another," Scootaloo explained as she returned to her spot on his back, "Even Applebloom is helping on the farm, not to mention the whole Apple Family being in town. And I think Sweetie Belle is helping Rarity make the decorations."

Naruto chuckled, "More like she's begging to help. So, what do you want to do for the Summer Sun Celebration?"

Scootaloo's greyish purple eyes gleamed as she replied, "Let's help Rainbow Dash!"

Naruto laughed, "Of course. You do know I'm a Earth Pony and you can't fly, right?"

"Yet!" corrected the young filly. Naruto's blue eyes rolled as he entered his room and flicked his head forward, sending Scootaloo flying towards his bed. The young Pegasus grunted as she made contact with the bed before flipping to her hooves, dropping to the ground and looking at the stallion that had become her elder brother.

Naruto allowed his saddlebags to drop to the ground as he approached the bed and collapsed on it.

"Mm...I missed this..." sighed out the stallion as he nuzzled his pillow, "So comfy...much better than a hotel's..."

"Naruto..." Scootaloo whined as she jumped onto the bed, getting a grunt from the older pony, "You never answered any of my questions!"

"Later, Scoot..." Naruto sighed out as he relaxed. He might not have shown it earlier, but he was exhausted from his recent travels. Two hooves placed themselves over his eyelid and Naruto grumbled as his eye was forced open and he looked at the upset face of Scootaloo.

"Please~?"

Naruto felt his eye twitch from the forced opening method. He knew that Scootaloo wouldn't leave him be until he answered some of her questions. Darn her cuteness and curiosity. He'd mildly realized he'd be beating colts away with a stick soon before he shook those thoughts away and righted himself on the bed.

"Alright," Naruto said in defeat, "What do you wanna-?"

"Did you finish your book?" He smiled at her first question. Nodding, he answered the inevitable next one.

"And I dropped the final draft off at the office yesterday so I won't be leaving for a while," he informed her, getting a delighted smile from the filly.

"Ok, did you fight anymore bandits?" Naruto rolled his eyes at that one. Get ambushed by a rogue bandit group once and it's the most exciting thing since sliced bread.

"Fortunately, no," He informed Scootaloo, who sighed in depression, which then flipped into a smile as Naruto continued, "But I did fight a Ursa Major, or rather, I stalled it. Some Unicorn was throwing countless spells at it but she didn't take into account that magic wasn't usually that strong against Ursas. I bought some time before the Royal Guard arrived and took over the situation. We found out later that same Unicorn accidently startled the Minor with her magic. Broke my right hind leg during the stalling, though. That set me back a week before I could resume traveling."

"Aw, what about the details?" Scootaloo pressed on, "Tell me about the fight? Did you use _it_?"

"The Ursa was only protecting its scared child, Scoot," Naruto reminded the filly, "And Ursas are resilient to most magic, remember?"

"Yeah, but _it_ isn't magic-" "I wasn't going to use _it_ unless absolutely necessary," The blonde said, "And no. I still won't teach you how to use _it_."

"Aww..." groaned out the young Pegasus. Scootaloo snapped out of her depression as she asked, "Did ya bring me anything?"

"I'm not enough?" Naruto asked with a smirk, getting a giggle, before gesturing to his saddlebags with his right hoof, "Right bag. I think you'd enjoy it."

She was at his bags before he could finish and gave off a loud squeal of happiness when she pulled out a rainbow colored headband with a plastic plate similar to his own. Scootaloo shot back to Naruto's side and wrapped her forelegs around his neck, thanking him repetitively before begging him to put it on her.

Chuckling, Naruto took the headband with his tail before using his hoof to keep it against the ecstatic filly's forehead as his tail tied it around her head. She beamed when he finished and he gave her the story behind it, "I ran into a smithy of all trades out East that owed me a favor and I thought this would make up for missing your birthday. I know the card wasn't enough and I figured you'd like this."

"I love it! Thanks Naruto!" Scootaloo wrapped her forelegs around his neck once again. Naruto used his left leg to hug her back before she left his room to go play in hers. Naruto released a sigh and fell back on his bed, closing his eyes as he slowly fell asleep.

* * *

Hours past and Naruto awoke to an uncharacteristically quiet _and_ dark house. The rust orange stallion stretched briefly before rolling out of his bed, cracking his neck before looking at the clock on his tabletop.

_Seven hours? Huh...wonder if Scoot snuck out to go play with Applebloom and/or Sweetie Belle_, thought the blonde as he trotted out to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat. Hopefully Scootaloo remembered not to go into his private stash of his favorite food.

Ramen.

It was a dish found in his homeland to the far East, Hidenleaf, and was very hard to come by. Not to mention expensive to have shipped all the way out to Ponyville. Sure, it was fifty bits a box, but when one like Naruto requested a minimum of twenty boxes, it could add up to be quite the price.

Naruto opened his cupboard with his right hoof and grabbed one of the packets. If he could, Naruto would have eaten several packets in a sitting, but at his last doctor's appointment, Nurse Redheart had...well, she had given him a none to friendly 'suggestion' of keeping himself in check. Due to his familial ties, doctors were one thing that could scare him. Needless to say, he made sure that whenever he ate it, Scootaloo wasn't around. Scootaloo was Redheart's unofficial spy...for reasons he still didn't know or understand.

"I'll find out one day," Naruto muttered to himself as he ripped open the bag and poured it calmly into a pot. Turning the sink on with his hoof, Naruto held the noodle filled pot under the water. After turning the water off, the pot was set on the stove and the stove was turned on.

Naruto watched the water with an intensive stare. He ignored the scuffling going on behind him, assuming it was Scootaloo and her friends trying to sneak back into the house. Naruto hummed and went back to his room for a brief second before reappearing at the stove's side. The giggles he heard were ignored as he glared at the barely boiling water. Clenching his teeth, he began pacing, keeping his eyes on the ramen and alternating from looking at the pot to the clock and back.

_Why does it have to take so Friggin long?_ He asked himself. Three minutes felt like an eternity. If only his suppliers, the Ichiraku chefs, could make instant ramen, well, _instant_!

Finally, the oven beeped and Naruto gave a small cry of joy. Ramen was hard to find while adventuring, and it was his usual meal whenever he came back. Restraining himself from eating like a foal that didn't know better, Naruto patiently poured the broth and noodles into a bowl before carrying said bowl to the table with his tail. After placing the bowl at the table and sitting down, Naruto rubbed his hooves together in excitement.

"And now...for the main course," the orange stallion murmured to himself as he put a hoof on either side of the bowl, and in an act that would normally be reserved for cartoons, tilted his head back, opened his mouth wide, and downed the whole bowl of ramen. Once finished, the stallion slammed the bowl back onto the table as his tongue went around his lips once before sighing in bliss.

Before he could stand to clean his dishes, the lights in the house suddenly turned on and a large group of Ponies cried out, "WELCOME HOME, NARUTO!"

The rust orange coated stallion whinnied in shock and shot up, landing on all four hooves on the ceiling, before glaring at a pink coated mare with an magenta colored mane and had three balloons as her Cutie Mark. Scowling at her as she tried to reign in her laughter, Naruto growled, "Pinkie Pie..."

Through her restrained laughter, the pink coated mare managed to ask with a snort, "Y-Yes...N-Naruto?"

"WHY ARE YOU PONIES IN MY HOUSE? _AGAIN_?" he asked after he dropped to the ground and glared at her.

Pinkie Pie, unfazed by his displeased attitude, giggled and patted him on the head with her right hoof, "To welcome you home again, silly-willy! You really should stop leaving if you want me to stop throwing you welcome home parties! Though, I really don't mind."

Naruto tried to stay angry at the younger mare, he really did, but he just sighed and shook his head lightly as a small smile crossed his face, "What are we going to do with you, Pink?"

The gathered ponies laughed at his question before swarming the subject of their party, shaking hooves and sincerely welcoming back one of their own. Even the Mayor popped in to welcome him back...though she really was curious about the publication of his next book and hinted at it continuously. Naruto stood tall and kept quiet, knowing that if he started showing favoritism he'd be swarmed by Fan Fillies.

A familiar blue blur tried to tackle him once again, but due to his keen senses, Naruto sidestepped the blindside attempt. Which caused Rainbow Dash to collide with Pinkie Pie, getting groans from both mares.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!" a pale yellow coated Pegasus with a pale pink mane softly exclaimed in worry as she trotted up to Rainbow Dash' and Pinkie Pie's side, "Are you two okay?"

"I will be when the room stops spinning," Rainbow Dash replied with a groan before falling to her back. Pinkie Pie groaned once more before giggling.

"Hehe, this reminds me of that song! You spin me right round baby right round...Whee! Look at everypony spin!" the party-loving mare giggled once more before falling flat on her face. Naruto snickered before approaching the two dazed ponies and helping them to their hooves.

"And what have we learned today, Rainbow?" Naruto asked, getting a glare from the Pegasus in question.

"That I shouldn't try to tackle you-" "So you do learn-" "In a house," Rainbow Dash finished with a frown, "How do you keep dodging me?"

"I told you before, Rain, I'm just _that_ awesome," the stallion replied with a grin, getting giggles from Pinkie and the other Pegasus. Naruto looked to the newcomer with a smile, "Hey Fluttershy, how's it goin?"

"Oh, um, it's-it's good, Naruto," the timid pony replied as she shrunk down into herself. Naruto's blue eyes rolled and he took a step closer to her, causing her to squeak and jump behind Rainbow Dash.

"Oh come on...I'm not _that_ scary right?" Naruto asked Rainbow Dash, who hummed before shrugging. Naruto gave her a deadpanned stare before he said, "Thanks..."

"It's what I do!" Rainbow Dash replied mockingly before smirking, "Oh boy, here they go."

"What?" Naruto asked with an arched brow before turning around and gaining a large drop of sweat on the back of his head as he saw two mares giving each other death glares, "Can't those two ever get along?"

"Oh they get along fine," Rainbow said before whispering lowly to Fluttershy, "When he's not around..."

The timid pony merely nodded in agreement. The ponies in question were a Unicorn and a Earth Pony. The Unicorn had a white coat complimented by her royal purple mane and tail that was curled in some places. The Earth Pony had the same coloration as he did, but a tad lighter, there was also a band around her tail and mane, keeping them straight and neat as well as a cowboy hat on her head. On the Unicorn's hindquarters were three diamonds and the Earth Pony had three apples on hers.

"So...should we shove him in between them or try to separate them ourselves?" Pinkie Pie asked her two friends as Naruto stared in confusion at the two ponies having what looked like a staring contest...if you ignored the occasional flicker of lightning that linked their eyes.

"Which would be more fun?" Rainbow Dash asked with a smirk, while Fluttershy sighed and went up to Naruto's side. She sat on her haunches next to him, neither speaking before he broke the silence.

"Why can't you ever seem to look me in the eye? Talking to somepony when they sit next to you shouldn't be like this. Is it my breath?" he asked curiously, as the two mares continued to stare each other down. Fluttershy tilted her head before she spoke.

"You're...bigger than Big Macintosh, Naruto...it's intimidating, but you're not scary!" she added quickly, still not looking at him. The orange-coated stallion rolled his eyes before he realized something and he looked around.

"Speaking of Mac, where is that lovable oaf?" Naruto asked Fluttershy, before getting tapped on the shoulder by a stallion near his height with a red coat and auburn fur. Around his neck was a yoke and in his mouth was a sprig of wheat. Though he couldn't see it, Naruto knew that a red Macintosh apple cut to reveal the seeds was on his friend's hindquarters.

"Howdy Naruto," drawled out the least sociable of the Apple family that resided in Ponyville. Naruto grinned and nudged the stallion in the shoulder.

"Howdy yourself, Mac," Naruto said before looking at the Unicorn and the Earth Pony, "Any idea what their deal is?"

"Eeyup."

"Well, ya wanna let me in on it?"

"Nnnope."

"Aw, why ya gotta be like that, Mac?" Naruto groaned, "You just like seeing them accidently hurt me don't you."

Big Mac smiled and nodded his head, "Eeyup."

"Jerk."

Fluttershy giggled at the two friend's banter. Watching Naruto and Big Macintosh have a conversation was a lot like watching her friends argue over who would make a better wife for the travelling stallion. She sighed at reminding herself of her friends' predicament before getting up and going towards them.

The two ponies glaring daggers at each other released equally impressive yelps when Fluttershy whacked them over the back of their heads. They rounded on the Pegasus, who began scolding them before shrinking into herself when she realized all eyes were on them.

"Er, um, anyway, Rarity, Applejack, just go say hi...I uh...I-gotta-go-grab-some-punch..." the timid mare quickly left the spotlight towards the punch bowl, where her other two friends were waiting. The two mares gave each other a cautioning glance before turning towards the (oblivious) object of their affection.

* * *

Naruto was too busy talking to Big Mac after glancing at Fluttershy when she had smacked Rarity and Applejack over the back of their heads to notice the two in question approaching. As they did, they caught the end of a story that piqued their interest, "So she asks, 'Why hasn't a nice mare come along and make a real stallion out of you' and I reply with, 'Lady, I don't know if you've been paying attention, but the only kind of mares I attract are the violent kind. I don't think I'll ever be a _real_ stallion!'"

Big Mac chuckled before nudging his friend. Naruto froze and asked, "There's not an angry horde of mares behind me is there?"

"Nnnope."

"Oh thank Celestia," the stallion sighed out in relief before about facing and smiling wide, "Oh, hey Rarity. AJ. How're you fillies doin?"

Rarity, the white unicorn, gave a dazzling smile after she gave a small curtsy to him in greeting, "Well, now that you're back in Ponyville I can say I'm fabulous."

"Don't you say that anyway?" The other mare, Applejack, asked with a smirk before looking at Naruto with a small blush, "Howdy, Nar, we all missed ya at Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo's party."

"Yeah, I already gave Scoot her gift and I'll stop by the ranch to give Applebloom hers," Naruto paused before looking at Rarity, "I'll find some time tomorrow to stop by the Boutique and drop Sweetie Belle's off, too."

"Oh, you charmer, Sweetie Belle will be absolutely delighted to get a gift from you," Rarity said with a smile, "When did you get back in town, Naruto? You must have been exhausted. Pinkie Pie asked me to help her set up and we finished an hour ago."

"Huh, well you did a nice job, as usual," Naruto complimented, making the mare blush before he asked, "So, Sweetie Belle ask to help with the décor yet?"

Rarity sighed, "Her heart is in the right place, but the poor little thing is just not balanced enough yet to help me. Any idea what you and Scootaloo are going to do to help with the Celebration?"

"Scoot wants to help Rainbow," Naruto shrugged, "But she can't nor can I. I might be awesome, but flight without wings equals grounded."

"What about that power you use, could you possibly use that to help me decorate the town?" Rarity asked with a charming smile.

Before Naruto could reply, Big Mac nodded to Applejack and she quickly spoke up, "Er, what about us on the Ranch? Even with the rest of the Apple Family in town, Big Mac's still the only one strong enough to plow the field. Though we need him to help buck the trees. Could ya come around Sweet Apple Acres"

"Hm, that is a predicament," Naruto mused quietly before tapping his chin with his hoof, "I think I can help both of you but I'm gonna need some time alone. I'll get back to you tomorrow, ok?"

The two mares were glaring at each other once again, making Naruto sigh and look to his friend, "What'd I miss Mac? I know they didn't say anything...did I say something wrong?"

Big Mac chuckled at his friend's obliviousness to the opposite sex. Even he, a pony with a knack for being unsociable, could see that his sister and her friend were head over hooves for the dense stallion. Realizing he had yet to give his friend a reply, Big Macintosh moved his sprig to the other side of his mouth before he spoke once more, "Nnnope."

* * *

**AN: And there's chapter one. More backstory will be revealed later on in the fic, cuz what's a good story without some background missing? And no, this isn't a Naruto-turned-pony story, this is a Naruto-has-lived-his-life-as-a-pony story. The Naruto story in general comes into play much later. Well...not the Forth war and Tobi and all that.**

**Whatever, I'm rambling. Read and review!**


	2. Celebration Preparation

**Wow, I got more positive feedback than I thought I would. Though the best review goes to Guest: "I have no idea what I just read." Needless to say, that had me cracking up.**

**Here we go! Disclaimer away!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and My Little Pony is a product of the amazing Hasbro Company. I earn no profit from this...though I probably could.**

**Live to Rise**

**2: Celebration Preparation**

* * *

Naruto yawned as he trotted through the town of Ponyville towards Sweet Apple Acres with his saddlebags over his back. Thanks to Pinkie Pie's welcome back party, he had been spending most of the evening afterwards cleaning his house...again. In fact, the orange stallion was sure he had only gotten five hours of sleep. Sure he may have gotten a good seven hours in before the party, but that was to rest after his trip. In fact, Naruto was certain that if he hadn't slept five hours and only managed less, he'd be acting more like Derpy Hooves.

"Hey Naruto!" _Speak of the devil..._Naruto ducked as the grey Pegasus with crossed eyes shot over his head, nearly colliding with him. The orange stallion chuckled as he looked back at the downed mare, who was pushing herself to her feet with a small groan.

"You OK, Derp?" Naruto asked the Pegasus, who shook her head in an effort to recover from the impact. Once she had recovered, Derpy beamed at the stallion while her crossed eyes somewhat focused on him.

"Yep!" the mailpony replied before scratching her head with her hoof, "Now what was it I was sent out to ask you again? Oh yeah! You want your mail?"

"I'll come around and pick it up later, Derpy," Naruto informed her with a nod, "Thanks for askin' though. I'll see ya around."

"Bye Naruto!" Derpy bid him farewell with a wave before taking off...and flying into an open window, "Hey! You've got a nice bedroom!" "DERPY HOOVES!"

Naruto chuckled as he trotted away, shaking his head at Derpy's antics. One thing that pony was good for was a laugh. His mood lifted, Naruto continued towards Sweet Apple Acres with a smile on his face. As he neared the farm, he could hear his friend's sister bark out instructions to her family members.

"No, no, no! The granny smiths go in that bucket while the red delicious go in that bucket. You want to have bitter apple cider for Princess Celestia?" Applejack asked one of her many family members. The pony nodded in understanding and picked the green apple up with their mouth before dropping it in a different bucket. Applejack nodded and turned around to resume her own duty.

Naruto leapt over the fence surrounding the farm before calling out, "Hello Apple family!"

Ponies looked up and grinned before replying, "Howdy Naruto!"

Applejack was in the midst of a charge when her family called out a greeting to the stallion she liked. So lost in her surprise, the orange coated mare ran headfirst into an apple tree. The sound of her head colliding with the tree trunk echoed over the farm and many a pony winced. The tree's inhabitants shook and fell into the buckets surrounding it.

Naruto sat on his haunches and tilted his head, "Huh, didn't know you were gonna take my approach on apple harvesting, AJ."

"The gala go with the delicious red for the applesauce..." replied AJ before slumping to the ground. Her brother walked up to her side and nudged her with his hoof. When Big Mac merely got a groan in response, he sighed.

_She's really got ta learn to relax when Nar comes around,_ silently mused the large stallion. Big Mac turned to look at his friend, "Howdy Nar."

"Hey Mac," Naruto replied before looking at Applejack, "She ok?"

"Eeyup," Big Mac confirmed with a nod. His green eyes landed on Naruto's saddlebags before looking back at his friend, "Y'all bring us somethin'?"

"_Eeyup_." Naruto said, mimicking his friend's drawl and earning a flat stare from the other stallion. Naruto chuckled to himself before shifting his midsection and sliding the bags to the ground. He went to the right bag first and flipped it open before he pulled out a pale yellow envelope in between his teeth, "Thish ish for Applebloom."

At the mention of her name, the young yellow coated filly with a red mane kept back by a large red bow bounded up to them and happily took the card from him. Naruto sat back as the filly ripped the card out of the envelope and then giving him a small hug, "Thanks Mister Naruto!"

"Glad you like it," he said, referring to the autographed picture of one of the filly's favorite musicians that was inside the card, "Go hang it up before it gets wrecked from all your hard work."

"Okay!" Applebloom replied before picking the picture up carefully in her mouth and running off to the house. Naruto and Big Mac watched her run off before looking back at each other.

"Y'all didn't get me anything?" Mac asked jokingly. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Do I look like I'm made of bits?" asked the orange-coated stallion before he dug through the left bag and pulled out a small sack, tossing it to the farmer's hooves, "That should be enough to get the plow fixed."

"Thank ya kindly, Naruto," Big Mac said with a nod before he picked the bag up with his hoof and tossed it to the top of his head, "Y'all gonna stick around and help us out on the farm?"

"I'll be around tomorrow to help Big Mac," Naruto said as he picked his bags up with his tail and placed them where they rested moments ago, "Gotta go stop by the Boutique and drop Sweetie Belle's gift off. Then I gotta go get Scoot out of bed and stop by the Mayor's to see what we can do. Or maybe the other way around."

"If ya say so," Mac replied with a shrug before adding, "We could always use the help."

"Yeah, especially with AJ down and out," joked the other stallion before he hopped over the fence, "See ya later, Mac!"

"Eeyup!"

* * *

Naruto hummed as he trotted towards the Carousel Boutique, a place he openly tried to avoid if he could help it. Why Rarity kept trying to get measurements for a suit he'd never know. Maybe if he needed to get some protective gear commissioned he'd ask her to measure him, but that was beside the point.

"Knock, knock!" Naruto called as he entered the Boutique before freezing in place at the already impressive amount of decorations hanging in the shop, "Whoa..."

"Oh! Naruto, one moment and I'll be right with you," Rarity called from the middle of the shop, her horn having a light blue glow around it as she levitated various fabrics. She hummed and dismissed the yellow piece hovering in front of her, which was followed by a red one and then a purple. Rarity released a joyful cry when a radiant orange bit floated in front of her, "Oh perfect! This would make a wonderful backdrop for the banner!"

"You don't kid around when it comes to decorations, do you, Rare?" the stallion asked as he trotted up to the Unicorn, "Hanging these around the town will definitely make Ponyville shine."

"Oh, you! Flattery will get you nowhere," giggled out the mare as she placed the orange fabric on her work desk, "Now, may I inquire as to why you've come over? Not that I disapprove, mind you. Perhaps you'd like a suit for the Celebration? I'd have to take some measurements of course..."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Rare," chuckled out the blonde as he shifted his midsection once again to drop his saddlebags, "Just dropping off Sweetie Belle's gift. She's not here is she?"

"Thankfully no," Rarity sighed out in relief before speaking again, "Don't take my reply in the wrong manner. I love my little sister, truly I do, but she lacks the grace of a more experienced seamstress such as I. Her...unbalance tends to do more harm than good."

"Poor kid," Naruto mused before flicking his right bag open with his tail, "Hopefully this will cheer her up. I got her a book of crafting for beginners."

"Oh my!" Rarity gasped when she got a look at the book the stallion pulled out and set in front of her, "Photo Finish's Fashion for Fillies! Naruto, she'll adore this!"

"I kind of figured," shrugged out the stallion as he sat down once again, "Pho told me that it'd work for a young seamstress in the making. Though HT tried to get me to give her his book..."

"Y-You've met...P-P-Photo Finish?" Rarity asked with wide eyes locked on the disinterested stallion.

"Yeah? She's ok when the paparazzi isn't around," Naruto replied with a shrug, "Hate going to parties with her, though. I-...Hey, Rarity are you ok?"

Rarity was staring at him in a mix of admiration and awe before falling to her side unconscious. Naruto arched a brow before scratching his head with a hoof, "What did I do this time?"

* * *

After picking Rarity up and moving her to a bundle of (hopefully) discarded fabric to lie on, Naruto grabbed his saddlebags and made his way to Town Hall to talk to the Mayor. He idly wondered if Scootaloo was still asleep in her room, as he had discovered she was awake for the party the night before, before the thought was pushed away when several cries of 'Watch It' reached his ears. Sighing, Naruto altered his direction and went towards the distressed cries.

_That filly will be the death of me,_ he mused with a sigh before switching his trot to a gallop and racing towards the frightened shrieks and surprised whinnies. Naruto put a bit more muscle into his gallop and dust shot up behind him as he picked up speed. The stallion let a scowl cross his face when he saw his adoptive little sister racing along on her scooter through Ponyville's busy streets. Snorting out of a bit of mild anger and irritation, Naruto picked up speed and ran after the filly. Much to his growing ire, the filly with a fuchsia mane shot up a stray wooden plank and landed on a rooftop. Looking up, Naruto growled when he saw why she was literally racing over the rooftops.

Rainbow Dash was showing off again...

"Damn it," Naruto grumbled as he slowed down and reached into his bag to pull out a small steel dagger. This dagger had a ring at the bottom of the handle, and the handle had cloth strips wrapped around it to make it a tad more comfortable to hold in the mouth. But it was the blade itself that drew the most attention: A short blade, no longer than four inches with two one-inch points branching off the base, making it a tri-pronged dagger.

Naruto slipped the tip of his tail through the ring at the base of the handle and twirled it until it was a blur. Narrowing his eyes, the stallion let the weapon fly from his tail to land on the rooftop several places ahead of Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo. The older Pegasus took note of the imbedded weapon and landed just a bit away from it, eyeing it wearily.

The filly wasn't as fortunate.

Before Scootaloo could ask why Rainbow Dash had stopped, her brother appeared before her in a flash of yellow, his tail holding the dagger as he stood tall in disapproval. The young Pegasus yelped when her scooter suddenly halted and she ran headfirst into his left leg. Scootaloo groaned as she rubbed her helmeted head before freezing when Naruto spoke.

"Scootaloo. What have I told you not to do when you were riding your scooter?" asked the stallion with a frown.

Scootaloo swallowed and shrunk down into herself before meekly replying, "Um...not to do it through a crowd of ponies?"

"Which you did," Naruto said before putting a hoof on his head, "What else did I say?"

The filly's head hung, "Not to try and ride it on rooftops..."

"Why did I say that?"

"Because...Because if I fell I could get seriously hurt..." whispered the filly. Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"And you did it anyway, because...?"

Rainbow Dash then spoke up, "Oh relax, Naruto. I wouldn't let anything happen to the little Squirt-."

Naruto's now cold blue eyes flicked to lock on hers, "Rainbow? Shut up."

The older Pegasus' open mouth clicked shut and she stepped back. While hanging her head, Rainbow thought, _Sorry Scootaloo._

"Scootaloo," the filly flinched and looked up at her older brother, "I'm going to put your scooter in my closet for the next two weeks."

"B-But that's not fair!" whined the filly. Naruto's eyes narrowed and his right hoof stamped.

"Does it look like I care?" asked the stallion as he snorted, smoke coming his nostrils, "You knew better than to do this! Had I been anyone else, I would take the _damn_ thing away for much longer!"

Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash winced at the audible swear. Naruto was one of the few Ponies that cussed, and even then he was one of those that kept from doing it in public. If he let one slip at that volume, they could only imagine how angry he was at them. Naruto kept his gaze on Scootaloo for another second before sighing and wrapping his left leg around her head, bringing her into a hug which she sunk into gladly.

"Don't do it again, Scoot," he whispered. He held her a bit tighter before they disappeared in a flash of yellow, reappearing in front of their home. They kept their hug going for another minute before Rainbow Dash landed with Scootaloo's scooter nearby, the Pegasus having an annoyed look on her face.

"I hate it when you do that..." she said out of a bit of jealousy. Naruto ignored it and released Scootaloo.

"Go put the scooter in my closet and wash up. Then come back outside." He instructed. The young filly nodded and did as she was told. Naruto watched her trot into the house before rounding his gaze on Rainbow Dash, his eyes narrowed once again.

"What the Hell is wrong with you?" he asked, keeping his voice down as the Pegasus jumped when he spoke, "You know how much she looks up to you and how reckless she can be!"

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Rainbow Dash tried to joke, only to wince under Naruto's unwavering glare, "Ok, ok, I'm sorry. I don't know. I was just practicing for when the Wonderbolts-"

"Oh Celestia, not this again!" Naruto cut her off with a shake of his head, before looking at Rainbow Dash, "You really need to get some self control, Rain. I'm all for following your dreams and I want you to join the Bolts, really I do, but dammit, leave Scootaloo out of your stunts!"

"It wasn't like I asked her to follow me!" Rainbow snapped back, her own eyes narrowed, "And with you coddling her like she's a little foal whenever you're around, I don't blame her for looking up to me!"

"Don't tell me how to raise a filly!" Naruto spat, glaring at her, "I do not coddle her, but she can't fly yet!"

"And she won't if you keep stopping her from pushing herself!" Rainbow argued.

"She's too young!"

"I was flying circles around clouds at her age!"

"Scootaloo is _not_ you, Rain!"

"And you're not a Pegasus Pony, so what would you know about flying?"

"I...Never mind. Just don't let her do it again, got it?" Naruto sighed out defeated before turning around and trotting into the house, "Go clean the sky. Heaven only knows when Celestia will send a representative to investigate the town."

"Yeah, fine, whatever," Rainbow Dash spat before taking to the skies with a visible afterimage remaining behind the dust. After it faded, Naruto sighed and sat on his front porch, looking to the East. Memories of his parents started popping up and Naruto sighed, hanging his head before he realized his tail was still hanging onto the dagger. Lifting the weapon up, he examined it, the characters etched into the main blade were put there by a friend of his father's.

Naruto shook his head and flicked the weapon into the wooden porch. Ignoring the pull that went with the impact of the dagger, Naruto looked back up to the sky and caught a glimpse of Rainbow Dash furiously clearing the sky. He'd have to apologize to her for their argument. She was the closest thing to a sister (aside from Scootaloo) he had, and had Big Mac not taken the spot of his best friend, she would have it in a heartbeat.

Naruto crossed his forelegs in front of him and sank down onto his stomach, laying down and watching the dirt in front of his house. He felt bad for yelling at Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash, but there was a saying that he went by; "To Ensure Equestria's Peace, One must Sacrifice Their Own."

His father was taught it by his godfather, who in turn was taught by his teacher, and so on. It was the saying that came behind the crown on his Mark, the Crown of Sacrifice, and the swirl was from his mother's side. For some reason, everypony in her family had a spiral in their Cutie Mark. Naruto looked up at the sky, ignoring Celestia's Sun for the moment.

_I miss you, Mother...Father..._he thought before a smile came over his face, _And you as well, Godfather. I wonder if I should write a note to Grandmother...No, because then she could track me down and give me a strong buck. Ugh, that's the last thing I need..._

"Naruto?" the stallion blinked and sat up at the questioning voice coming from the filly next to him. Smiling, Naruto put a hoof on her head and ruffled her mane, getting a groan of disapproval from the filly. She fixed her mane and he noticed that she had slipped the headband he had gotten her on.

"Sorry I yelled at you, Scoot," He apologized before wrapping her in another hug, "Come on. Let's go see the Mayor. I'll give ya a ride."

"Ok," Scootaloo replied with a beaming smile as the large stallion stood and she hopped onto his back, sitting partially on his saddlebags. She looked at the bags and back before she asked, "Hey, Naruto? Why are you still wearing your saddlebags?"

"Hm? Oh, there's a gift in there for Mayor Mare from a good friend of hers," Naruto said before blanching, "Ugh, I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Why?" Scootaloo asked curiously. Naruto opened his mouth to answer before remembering who he was talking to and rethought his response.

"Well...her friend is a writer like myself except he...well he writes books for lonely mares and stallions," he said, "They...they're for grown ups."

"I bet they're really boring," Scootaloo groaned as she relaxed on Naruto's back as he trotted through Ponyville. Naruto grinned.

"Well...yeah, let's go with that. Just stay away from any book written by Gallant Jiraiya, ok?" He instructed, getting a nod from the filly. Naruto smirked in a silent victory.

* * *

Mayor Mare was going over a checklist while Fluttershy waited patiently for instructions, "No, Rarity's on decorations...The Apples are on food...Dessert is being handled by the Cakes...You'd rather not work with Rainbow Dash, though it'd be good for you...That leaves-"

"Hello Mayor M/Miss Mayor!" two voices suddenly cried, startling the two ponies into jumping. Mayor Mare placed a hoof over her chest and looked at the doorway where Naruto and Scootaloo stood with smiles on their faces. The pale yellow mare looked for her fellow yellow coated Pegasus, only to sigh when she looked up at the pony clinging to her office's chandelier.

"Fluttershy," the Mayor said to the timid Pegasus, "Please come down from there."

"Yeah, come on, Fluttershy," Naruto said with a smile, "I don't bite. Or could it be you're afraid of Scoot?"

"Hey!" The filly cried indignantly, "I'm not scary, Naruto!"

"Tell that to somepony that doesn't have to force you into the bath," the stallion shot back with a smirk. Scootaloo pouted, getting a chuckle from Mayor Mare and a quiet giggle from the descending Fluttershy. Naruto looked at Fluttershy briefly before grinning at the Mayor, "So Mayor M. Anything you need Scoot and I to do for the Summer Fun Celebration-Ow!"

"Summer _Sun_ Celebration, Naruto," Scootaloo corrected after lightly bonking him on the head with a hoof. Naruto scowled before looking back at the Mayor.

"Forgive me, the Summer _SUUUNNN_ Celebration," the stallion corrected himself, enunciating the word 'sun' obnoxiously. Fluttershy gave a small giggle while Scootaloo broke into snickers. Mayor Mare smirked before looking down at the list on her desk. She gained an even larger smirk when she looked up.

"I know exactly what you two can do." Naruto and Scootaloo blinked in confusion at her words. Mayor Mare cleared her throat and pulled out a note with the Royal Seal on it. Naruto frowned in confusion while Scootaloo's eyes widened in awe.

"In a few days time, Princess Celestia is sending a representative to Ponyville for inspections, and she requested that her representative be housed in the library," Mayor Mare waited for the reactions to sink in. Scootaloo's awed look dropped into a frightened one while Naruto's frown became horrified.

"You don't mean/Oh please, Miss Mayor no!" They pleaded at the same time. Mayor Mare smirked and crossed her hooves on her desk.

"Think of this as karma for that little _joke_ during the last Winter Festival."

* * *

An hour later, after trying to bribe the mayor with the next few books of his and his godfather's, which was a failed plan, Naruto and Scootaloo were standing in front of the one place they dreaded. Naruto because early on in his days at Ponyville he'd be attacked by book-loving mares to sign his novels and Scootaloo because the place was just _so_ boring!

The Ponyville Library.

The Library was hardly used nowadays though, and the last librarian had left for Manehattan to get a job there. Only Celestia would know what lay waiting behind the door.

"Naruto?" Scootaloo asked after she gave a large gulp.

"Yeah, Scoot?"

"How...How bad do you think the room could be?" The filly asked hesitantly. Naruto swallowed before looking down at the filly.

"I'd rather not guess," he replied before lifting a hoof and pushing the door open. A rush of dust shot out and engulfed the two siblings. Now caked in a greyish brown soot, Naruto's blue eyes popped open and he coughed, expelling some of the dust that was within. Scootaloo had also been engulfed by dust and looked like a miniature version of her elder sibling, only lacking the saddlebags he forgot to drop off at his home.

"...It's gonna be a _long_ week, Scoot." Naruto said after a brief moment, looking down at her shaking form with a sly smirk, "Sucks that you have to start dusting tomorrow on your own."

"Yeah...Wait a minute, why do I have to dust on my own?" Scootaloo asked with a frown as she started to shake the dust off, "What are you going to do?"

Naruto's smirk turned into a grin, his whisker-marked cheeks giving him a foxlike appearance, "I've already agreed to lend the Apple family a helping hoof."

"That's not fair!" Scootaloo whined, this time playfully in an effort to get him to help. Naruto didn't falter.

"Maybe not," he admitted, "But if you get one bookcase _completely_ dusted by the time I come around to pick you up, you can have your scooter back."

"...Really?" She asked warily.

"It's a promise." Naruto said with a nod.

"Deal!" Scootaloo cried before shooting into the library and starting to dust with her tail before returning to the door, "Hey, you gotta get the feather dusters! I can't reach them..."

Naruto chuckled and slowly trotted into the library. He was amused by his little sister's antics. She loved the scooter almost as much as she adored Rainbow Dash.

And that was saying something.

* * *

The two finished their first day's work, both a bit dirty, well after Celestia had lowered the sun and raised the moon. The stallion had wanted to stop earlier, but Scootaloo insisted on getting most of it out of the way so they could finish in less than three days. The orange coated stallion was sure that having those few extra days to ride around on her scooter had something to do with it. Naruto carried his tuckered out little sister on his back, the little filly already asleep, and trotted home, stopping briefly to look up at the moon. The image of the Mare seemed more pronounced for some reason.

"Eh, I must be seeing things," Naruto said after a moment of staring before he resumed his trot back to his and Scootaloo's home.

* * *

**AN: There. Chapter two and an epic foreshadowing if I do say so myself. Though if you're a real fan (Or at least saw the first episode to understand this fic) you know it's not that big of a foreshadowing.**

**You know the drill by now.**

**REVIEW!**


	3. New Pony in Town

**Not as many reviews as the first chap, but still better than nothing'. Best review goes to JLWafflezBrony: "Yes yes yes yes more more more MOAR!"**

**I cried because I was laughing so hard. Even my friends thought it was hysterical, but then again, they're immature.**

**I'm gonna miss them when they leave for college...**

**Here we go! Disclaimer away!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and My Little Pony is a product of the amazing Hasbro Company. I earn no profit from this...though I probably could.**

**Live to Rise**

**3: New Pony in Town**

* * *

In the sophisticated city of Canterlot, a Unicorn mare with a pale mulberry purple coat galloped down dirt roads, ignoring ponies waving hello as she rushed. The Unicorn had a mane and tail of sapphire with streaks of violet and light rose within them that contrasted well with her coat, and her Cutie Mark was a light rose starburst with a secondary white starburst behind it.

As the mare galloped, she spoke to herself in a musing manner; "I know I've heard of the Elements of Harmony before. Where?"

The purple Unicorn stopped outside of a ivory tower and threw the door open with her left hoof. The force she used to open was strong enough to disorient the baby dragon walking towards said door. The dragon stumbled backwards and landed on the red and yellow package it once held in its hands.

"Spike! Spike!" The Unicorn called out as she looked back and forth before her violet eyes landed on the dragon, "Ah! There you are, what are you doing lying around?"

"Ugh...Twilight...you really need to slow down," Spike, the small dragon with primarily purple scales, green spines and a yellow underbelly, said a bit dazed before he looked at the box impaled on his spade tipped tail. He frowned and pried it off.

"What's that?" the Unicorn, Twilight, asked upon noticing the object in the dragon's clawed hands.

Spike looked at the crushed and impaled box in his hands before replying with a sigh, "Well, it _was_ a gift for Moondancer..." He trailed off when a stuffed bear's leg fell through the hole, followed by the rest of the bear.

"No time, I need your help finding the book Predictions and Prophecies," Twilight said. Spike blinked before frowning.

"B-But we're on a break..." the baby dragon complained. Twilight rolled her eyes.

"This could be a disaster in the making Spike, now help me look," instructed the Unicorn. The dragon frowned as he dropped the box and began looking through the nearest bookcase. He rolled his eyes as Twilight began to look through the books in a frenzy, before stopping when he pulled the book out.

"Here it is! AHH!" Spike cried out as Twilight's magic caused him to loose his balance on the ladder and fall to the ground. He landed on a stack of newspapers, sending them flying and electing a groan. As an assistant, he had become used to organization and tidiness. Seeing the mess he had made by accident wouldn't do him any favors with his friend, who was frantically looking through the book he pulled out for her.

Spike quickly organized the papers before starting to put away the books that hadn't made the 'cut', per say. As he put a book away he noticed a stray newspaper stuck on a splinter of wood. Carefully balancing the books on his tail, Spike reached for the paper and pulled it out carefully.

"Huh...Ponyville Express, huh? Don't remember reading this one," Spike muttered to himself as he looked over the paper, reading the headline aloud, "_Earth Pony Teleports_, I think I'll hang onto this for later."

"Spike, are you listening to me?"

"Yeah, gimme a sec, Twilight!" Spike called back to his friend as he rolled the paper up. Tucking the paper under his arm, he went to put another book back before he fell. Thankfully he had landed on Twilight's back, but unfortunately, he lost the paper he wanted to read later on. The picture on the front page had a very familiar orange pony holding a very familiar weapon in his tail.

* * *

Back in Ponyville, in the Sweet Apple Acres apple orchard, Naruto cracked his neck after stepping back from a tree he had just knocked the apples from. He and Scootaloo had cleaned the library out in record time, and the little filly had managed to clean not only one bookshelf but two, much to his surprise. So now, Scootaloo was off watching Rainbow Dash and he was helping the Apples prepare for the Summer Sun Celebration. The orange-coated stallion nodded to Red Delicious, a younger stallion that had taken to following him out along with Red Gala, Apple Bumpkin and Buttercream to carry his gathered apples back to the farm.

This was thought up by the mare in charge of it all, Applejack.

Even Big Macintosh had his own group to quicken his harvesting speed.

"Hey, Nar?" Naruto blinked and looked at the approaching stallion. Big Macintosh looked just a bit tired, but was fighting to keep going. Or at least stay conscious...and was that a bruise forming beneath his mane?

"Yo Mac, you alright?" Naruto asked his friend before looking at the three other Apple family members, "Go put the rest of those in the barn and tell Applejack we're taking our break now."

"You got it, Naruto," Red Gala confirmed with a nod before she and the other two did as he instructed. Naruto looked back at his friend and jerked his head towards the trough next to the house.

"Come on, Mac, you need some water," the orange stallion said to his red coated companion. Mac stifled a yawn as he gave a single nod before following his friend to the trough, his steps a little wobbly.

"You alright, Mac?" Naruto asked with a bit of concern, "You haven't been head-butting trees like me, have you?"

"Er..." Big Mac weighed his options. He either lied and Applejack would get on his case for overworking himself or he told the truth and Naruto would make a joke or two about it. In the end, he decided his friend's jokes weren't as bad as being coddled like a little foal by his _younger_ sister.

"Eeyup."

Naruto shook his head, "Mac, Mac, Mac...How many times have I got to tell you? You're just not as thickheaded as I am. And you haven't got the brain cells to spare for buttin' trees."

Big Macintosh glared at his friend as they came to a stop in front of the trough, both of them dipping their heads to get a drink of water. When they came up, Naruto placated his friend's ire with a quick joke, "Don't get mad. I haven't got a single brain cell to begin with, so it's okay for me to go head-buttin' trees!"

Big Mac chuckled, "Eeyup. That's for sure."

Naruto chuckled as well before feigning anger, "Hey wait a minute...you're serious aren't you?"

"Eeyup!" Mac shot back with a smirk before they broke out into snickers. They stopped when a familiar ring stirred something in their stomachs and grinned when a familiar cry hit their ears.

"SOOUUP'S ON, EVERYPONY!"

"FOOD!" Naruto exclaimed before vanishing, leaving only a dusty afterimage of a smiling stallion standing with Big Macintosh. The red-coated stallion chuckled and waved his hoof through the dusty-Naruto before trotting towards the main brunch table. Big Mac stopped as a crowd began to form.

Apple Crisp walked past him, dropping a cupcake, which he barely managed to catch in his hoof. His family members parted when Applejack pointed in his direction.

"Big Macintosh," she said as she sat next to a strange new Unicorn and a baby Dragon. Applejack then pointed to Applebloom, "Applebloom and finally..."

Applejack walked over to where Granny Smith Apple was dozing away in her rocker, "Granny Smith Apple. Wake up Granny Smith, we got guests!"

"Herm, wha? Soup's on?" Granny tiredly muttered. Big Macintosh chuckled at his grandmother's confused enthusiasm before looking around for his friend.

"So now that you've met everyone-Hey! What in tarnation?" Applejack cut herself off in shock when she looked back at an wide-eyed Twilight Sparkle and an awed Spike. Looking to their right, she could see why. Fighting her blush down, Applejack put on an angry scowl, "Naruto! What in the seven hills are you doin?"

The stallion in question paused in mid bite of a caramel apple before finishing the bite and tilting his head. In front of him were various platters with crumbs of the various apple-based food that was for Twilight Sparkle and Spike. Lifting his right hoof to mess with the stick the caramel apple once rested on, he started cleaning his teeth before replying, "Well if none of you were gonna eat it, I sure as heck wasn't going to let the food go to waste."

"We weren't wastin' it ya foal!" Applejack groaned as she lightly smacked her face with her hoof, "That was for Twilight Sparkle and her lizard-" "_Dragon_" "Spike."

Naruto blinked and tossed the stick in his hoof away before looking at the newcomers, "Oh...whoops!"

"Whoops he says...Alright, Apple Crisp, Red Gala, go get some more so Miss Sparkle and her friend can eat," Applejack instructed. Twilight Sparkle stood and walked to Applejack's side.

"Actually, we really have to get going," she said. Spike groaned, as did the other Apple family members. Applebloom stepped forward and her lower lip jutted out in a pout. Naruto sucked in some air quietly as his eyes widened. It was the dreaded Apple Pout, on par with that of the Rarity/Sweetie Belle pout and even Scootaloo's.

He wondered if the filly's gathered together to practice and then taught their elder sisters the face just to use on him and Mac...though he could resist Rarity and Applejack's faces, the filly's were just too powerful.

"A-Aren't ya gonna stay for brunch?" Applebloom asked the new Unicorn, snapping the observing stallion from his thoughts. Twilight bit her lip and lowered her head to the filly's level.

"Sorry, but we've really got to get going and check the rest of the preparations," she said, albeit uncertainly. The Apple Family collectively 'Awwed' and hung their heads. Naruto would have, but he actually wanted to see the outcome of this, seeing as even the little dragon had his head hung in despair.

Finally, after a moment of depression and just before Naruto could try to cheer everypony up, Twilight relented, "Ugh...Fine. Let's eat-"

"YYYAAAAAYYY!"

Naruto laughed at the nervous smile that appeared on the new Unicorn's face. He had to follow this mare after this. She was almost as good for a laugh as Pinkie or Derpy was.

* * *

"Alright, main food supply, check!" listed the little dragon as he walked ahead of a slightly sick Twilight Sparkle. Naruto trotted alongside the mare, having taken off before Applejack could find out who spiked her brother's cider and who gave Applebloom root beer.

What could he say? Big Mac was a funny drunk and a lightweight. He didn't even have to waste more than a drop of his private stash. And Applebloom on a sugar high was nearly as funny as Scootaloo on one.

"Too much pie?" Naruto asked out of amusement, chuckling when he got a groan in response from the Unicorn, "Yeah, Granny S' pies are the best. I remember this one time me and Mac had a contest...forty-six to forty-four. I was so close too. Course after I puked, he followed and..."

Twilight tuned the stallion out and focused on her assistant, "What's next Spike?"

"Well there should be a Pegasus pony named Rainbow Dash keeping the skies cloud free," the dragon replied.

Twilight stopped trotting and looked up, scanning the skies and taking note of the clouds still nearby.

"Well," she started, "Seems like this pony isn't doing their job..."

Naruto stopped and ducked suddenly, just in time for a blue blur to shoot over his head and slam into Twilight's side. He stood up and laughed when he saw Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle coated in mud, Spike joining in.

"Sorry! I was aiming for _him_, didn't see you next to Naruto," Rainbow Dash apologized with a giggle before glaring at Naruto, "I'm gonna get you one day, Naruto."

"You can't touch me, Rain," Naruto replied with a smirk as he sat on his haunches and tilted his head forward, just as Scootaloo approached on her scooter. Unable to stop, the young filly unintentionally used her brother's back as a ramp and impacted with Rainbow Dash, the two of them falling further into the mud puddle.

"Whoa!" Spike exclaimed in awe, "How'd you know that filly was coming?"

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again," Naruto started with a wider smirk, "I'm just _that_ awesome."

The stallion then looked at the frowning filly as she pulled her scooter out of the puddle. He sighed and approached her, wrapping his tail around the handles and spinning the scooter at a rapid speed, flinging mud into the air. One bit struck Spike in the face and sent him to his back, as did one to Rainbow Dash.

When he was certain the scooter was clean, Naruto set it back down in front of Scootaloo. The young filly beamed up at him, "Thanks Naruto."

"Yeah-huh," Naruto replied with a nod, "Now go home and wash up. I'll be back before the celebration starts."

"Okay. Bye Rainbow Dash, sorry bout the mud. Bye New Pony, bye Lizard-guy!" Scootaloo replied before getting on her scooter and zipping away towards their house. Naruto chuckled before looking at Twilight when Rainbow Dash suddenly pulled a full raincloud over her.

"Oops, sorry," Rainbow apologized when she noticed the glare she was receiving from the drenched Unicorn, "I'll give you my patented Rain-Blow Dry!"

"...Oh Celestia," Naruto groaned out as he put his hoof on his forehead, "That just _screams_ all sorts of bad things, Rain..."

His comment wasn't heard as the rainbow tornado created to dry Twilight off quickly built up and then faded, revealing a poofy mane and tail. With these new styles, Rainbow Dash and Spike quickly found themselves laughing aloud on their back. Naruto saw the growing ire and while he enjoyed laughing at other's misfortunes, if he started then the new Unicorn might erupt.

Deciding to diffuse the situation, Naruto looked at the cracking up Rainbow Dash and asked, "Hey Rain, why haven't you cleared the skies yet?"

Rainbow stopped laughing and looked at the stallion before looking at the sky, "What?"

Naruto rolled his eyes, "The skies, you know, they sort of have these things called clouds in them and Pegasi like you, especially you, are supposed to keep them clear for the Summer Sun Celebration of fun or whatever..."

"Meh, I'll get around to it."

"Please tell me you're not practicing for the Bolts..."

"Okay, I won't tell you."

"...You are, aren't you?"

"Am I that easy to read?"

"Yes, yes you are."

"Jerk."

"Thank you."

"Excuse me," The two looked at the silly mane/tail styled Unicorn that had decided to interrupt their sibling-like banter, "But, can you please tell me why the skies aren't clean yet?"

"Uh, duh? It's because I'm practicing for the Wonderbolts," the blue-coated Pegasus replied with a deadpanned expression. Naruto groaned and smacked himself in the face.

"Oh really? The Wonderbolts? Fastest and Best fliers in all Equestria?" Twilight pried. Rainbow Dash smirked and stood on her hind hooves, rubbing one on her chest.

"Yep. And I'll be joining them soon enough," Rainbow Dash boasted, "After all, I'm the fastest and best flier in Equestria. Period. I could clear these skies in ten seconds flat!"

"Is that right?" Twilight asked. Naruto shook his head and walked over to the recovering dragon. He just knew that Rainbow's competitive nature was going to be awakened. Not that it was a bad thing, but he'd seen it so many times it was actually kind of boring.

"Yep!"

"Prove it," Twilight challenged, getting Naruto to roll his eyes while Rainbow's narrowed. The Unicorn continued, "Why don't you put your bits where your mouth is and clean the skies in ten seconds flat? That is of course, you're all talk and no bite. I mean, the Wonderbolts would only recruit the best of the best-Whoa!"

Rainbow Dash had shot off, her pride demanding that she show the new pony just who the fastest in Equestria was. She violently kicked, bucked, and smacked at the clouds overhead. Naruto was holding a stopwatch he had borrowed from a watching tan stallion.

"What's her record again?" the stallion asked.

"Nine point nine four," Naruto replied before clicking it when Rainbow Dash landed in front of a shocked Twilight Sparkle panting lightly. Naruto looked at the watch and chuckled, "Correction, Nine solid. Shaved off ninety-four milliseconds. Thanks Whooves."

"Of course, Naruto. Ah, Pinkie wanted you to know there's a party later tonight. Surprise, I think at the library."

"Ah, thanks Whooves. See ya around."

"Indeed."

Naruto looked at the still frozen Twilight and Spike before approaching the dragon and eyeing the list in his hands. Next was decorations. Shrugging, he slipped the shocked Unicorn and Dragon onto his back and trotted towards the Town Square.

He still had to help hang some of the decorations in town square anyway.

* * *

"AAGH! Why are you carrying me? Put me down!" Twilight exclaimed a while later after she had snapped out of her stupor. Spike had snapped from his surprise and hopped down, after getting Naruto to explain what he was doing. The orange-coated stallion stopped trotting and sighed.

"Alright, alright, relax," he said calmly as he angled himself so Twilight could get off without either of them getting hurt. Naruto arched a brow as he looked at the Unicorn, "You had frozen in place when Rain showed off. I saw that we were heading in the same direction so I gave you a lift."

"Humph, whatever," Twilight grumbled before shaking her head, "Spike, what's next?"

"Uh the decorations for the Celebration!" Spike replied with a smile as he hopped onto Naruto's back, "Whoa! I get a much better view on _your_ back, Mister Uzukaze. Must be because you're so tall!"

"Kid, just call me Naruto," the stallion replied with a chuckle, "I hate it when ponies use my surname."

"Ok, Naruto," Spike said before furrowing his brow, "Hey, why's your name so...uh..."

"Weird?" Naruto supplied before eyeing the equally curious Twilight. With a smile he shrugged as he trotted, "Well, it's because I'm not from Ponyville, in fact, I'm from a Far East village. We're right on the boarders of Equestria and we have different customs. Names being one of them. And festivals being another. I'm still trying to remember Ponyville's most important holidays...though I wasn't good with that sort of thing anyway."

"Whoa, so you're like, from Cloudsdale?"

"Wrong direction, Spike," Twilight informed the baby dragon, "And he's a Earth Pony. It'd be hard for him to live in Cloudsdale. I think he means Manehattan."

"Enn! Wrong!" Naruto replied with a buzz, "I'd love to continue talking about my past, but we're here!"

The two newcomers to Ponyville looked at the decorated Town Square, Spike being the first to vocalize his thoughts, "Wow...so beautiful..."

"Hm, you're right Spike," Twilight said with an agreeing nod, "I think we'll be done with this in no time. The decorations look great."

"What decorations? I'm talking about _her_!" Spike replied as hearts grew in his eyes. Naruto and Twilight followed his gaze before landing on a white coated Unicorn. Naruto chuckled while the other Unicorn rolled her eyes in disbelief.

"No...No...ugh far too green...No," Rarity dismissed color after color, not noticing the approaching ponies.

"Um, excuse me?" Twilight pried, as she trotted forward.

"Just a moment, I'm in the zone as it were," Rarity said before looking back at the fabric floating around her, gasping in glee when a shiny red ribbon, "Ah, yes! Rarity, you're a genius! Sparkle Red is perfect! Now, what may I-Oh! N-Naruto hello. I wasn't expecting you for a while."

Twilight arched a brow and looked at the orange stallion, who seemed to be oblivious to the white Unicorn's blush.

"Yeah," Naruto replied as he scratched the back of his head with his hoof, "I might have-"

He was cut off by a distant cry of, "NARUTO UZUKAZE!"

"Pulled a prank on Applejack," finished the stallion with a chuckle, "She really needs to relax after being so wound up for this celebration thing. Especially if she _just_ realized that I spiked Mac's drink."

"You and Pinkie, I swear..." Rarity said with a shake of her head before looking at Twilight, "And who is your frieeeeeennnnndddah! My word! What happened to your mane!"

"She met Rainbow Dash," Naruto supplied helpfully, before Twilight could speak, "Got a 'Rain-Blow Dry'..."

Rarity tisked in pity, "Oh you poor, poor thing. Honestly, that mare acts more like a filly each day. Come with me, I'll get you all fixed up."

"But I-" "You to, Naruto! That rat's nest you call a mane needs to be brushed! And don't try and back out of it! I've already finished hanging the rest of the decorations!" Rarity cut off Twilight's attempt to escape with a stern order. Naruto frowned and ran his hoof over his mane.

"It's not that bad..." muttered the stallion as he trailed behind the two mares and the lovesick dragon.

* * *

"Now, you were telling me more about yourself," Rarity said as she tightened a dress that she had shoved on Twilight. Naruto, his mane somewhat brushed, sat off to the side with Spike.

"Wow, she's amazing...I've never seen anypony shove a dress onto Twilight so fast," Spike gushed. Naruto chuckled.

"Yeah, well, I'm the only pony Rarity's yet to get measurements for in all of Ponyville," boasted the stallion.

"Why wouldn't you want her to measure you?" Spike asked curiously. Naruto looked at the dragon in amusement.

"I'm nopony's dress-up doll," he said simply. The two males looked back to see Rarity bound off for something when Twilight appeared at Spike's side.

"Let's get out of her before she decides to dye my coat a new color!" hissed the Unicorn urgently before she raced out of the Boutique. Spike sighed sadly before looking at Naruto.

"See you around, Naruto," he said before racing after his friend, "Wait up Twilight!"

Naruto laughed at the two, they would surely make Ponyville an interesting place to live in if they stuck around. The stallion then jumped to the side when a measuring tape surrounded by a light blue aura attempted to wrap around his midsection. His blue eyes narrowed while his whiskered cheeks curled back in a smirk.

"Ole, Rare," he said calmly, his tail slowly swishing as he tensed up in preparation to bolt.

Rarity pouted, "Why won't you hold still for a measurement, Naruto?"

"Because Rare, while I know you would only give me a suit that would make me look good, it's still a suit. And I despise formal attire," Naruto replied with a shudder, "Never again..."

Rarity's pout increased, bordering on the patented Pony Pout, but Naruto chuckled.

"You can try to get me to stay, Rare, but I gotta go find get some grub," he said. Rarity sighed before giving the stallion a brilliant smile.

"Alright, I'll see you at Pinkie's party then?" she asked.

He nodded, "It's at the library, right? Whooves said something about it earlier. Yeah, I'll be there. See ya Rarity."

"Goodbye Naruto!"

* * *

Later that night at the Ponyville Library, Naruto was apologizing to a hung over Big Mac, "Geez, Mac, I said I was sorry, what more do you want?"

"That recipe for yer hangover cure," Grumbled the stallion as he rubbed his head, "Ugh, mah head is poundin' somethin' fierce!"

"Ok, ok, I'll go fix the cure up for you," Naruto said, "But I'm not giving you the recipe. Gotta keep you on your toes, after all."

"You suck," Big Mac grumbled as he trotted after his friend, "Yer lucky AJ forgave ya so easily."

"Oh please, she knew she was wound up," countered the other stallion before he grumbled, "Though she could have kept Scootaloo from getting into the Root Beer..."

Big Mac chuckled before groaning, "Hurry up and fix me that drink."

"Yeah, yeah, keep your horseshoes on," Naruto said as he stopped at the table where the drinks are. He grabbed some cider, the hot sauce Twilight burned her tongue with earlier, and a cupcake. Pushing the icing into the cup, Naruto ate the remainder of the cupcake, before putting a drop of hot sauce in the cup, which was followed by some cider. He then grabbed a straw and stirred the concoction slowly, secretively adding some of his own latent 'magic' into the drink. Once finished, an orange liquid remained and Big Mac eyed it hesitantly before downing it in one gulp.

"There, feel better?" Naruto asked his friend. Big Mac coughed before nodding.

"Eeyup."

"Good!" Naruto said before looking out the window, "Huh, is it me or does the Mare look a bit...faded?"

Big Macintosh followed his friend's gaze and eyed the moon. The normal image of a unicorn mare did look a bit faint. The two stallions shifted uneasily as they looked at the moon. Something didn't feel right. There was something that just felt...off about the moon.

"Hey Mac, you ever get that feeling that you're gonna be introduced into a world of crazy?"

"Eeyup."

"Oh good, I thought it was just me."

* * *

**AN: Oh, and so it begins. The chapter seems a bit choppy to me, but I think it was good overall. Next up is the Mare in the Moon...Oh Joy.**

**You know the drill (I Hope), REVIEW!**


	4. Mare in the Moon, Pt 1

**Yeah so the favorite Review goes to RazorShuriken: "Yes...YES! MORE! YOUR PONY SUSTAINS ME!"**

**...Yeah, I don't know what it means either. It's stupid/funny though!**

**Here we go! Disclaimer away!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and My Little Pony is a product of the amazing Hasbro Company. I earn no profit from this...though I probably could.**

**Live to Rise**

**4: Mare in the Moon, Pt 1  
**

* * *

"You sure you'll be able to stay up for this, Scoot?" Naruto asked his sister as the little filly rode on his back towards the Town Square. Scootaloo scowled and sat up on his back.

"I'm gonna be fine!" the filly replied stubbornly replied before yawning. Naruto looked back at her smugly, getting a deeper scowl from the filly.

"I'm not tired," reiterated Scootaloo stubbornly, "I was just...practicing!"

"Really?" The blonde stallion asked with a arched brow, "And _what_ were you practicing for, may I ask?"

"Uh..." "Yeah, that's what I thought," Naruto chuckled out when his sister was unable to come up with a good reply. The filly huffed and crossed her forelegs with a pout on her face. She brightened up when Big Macintosh slowly came up to Naruto's side, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle on his back.

"Hi Scootaloo!" her two friends greeted her, to which she eagerly responded. The fillies soon fell into a calm conversation, leaving the two stallions free to talk without eavesdroppers.

"So, this thing is to celebrate Princess Celestia's Sun rising, right?" Naruto asked his friend.

Big Mac nodded and shifted his sprig, "Eeyup."

"Ok...Then why did we stay up all night throwing a party at the library?" questioned the orange stallion. Big Mac hummed in thought; his friend brought up a good point. While the Summer Sun Celebration usually started at Dawn, why did most ponies insist on staying up all night? To tire themselves out for the afternoon? That's usually what happened at Sweet Apple Acres, anyway.

"I mean think about it," Naruto continued, breaking his friend from his thoughts, "We just had a party for some new Unicorn from Canterlot, right? Why didn't we call it a night like four, five hours ago, and then wake up now? I tried, and Pinkie freakin sicked this little foal on me."

To get his point across, he paused and slightly bucked, making Scootaloo cry out in surprise while she tried to hold on to his mane. The stallion returned into a full upright stance and looked over at the glowering filly. Naruto gave her a innocent smile, "Sorry, thought something crawled up my hind leg."

"Meanie..." complained the filly before she looked at her friends, "See what I have to deal with?"

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom giggled tiredly, both trying (and failing spectacularly mind you) to hide their own exhaustion. The three had been discussing their elder siblings and had been quietly arguing over whose was the worst. Sweetie Belle claimed it was Rarity due to her stuffiness; Applebloom claimed Applejack had the victory in the bag because she was stubborn at times and bossy at others; and Scootaloo said Naruto was the only reasonable choice (not in those words) because of his more mischievious side.

"Ah, you love me for it," Naruto dismissed his complaining sister before looking back at his friend, "So anyway, what was I saying?"

"Sumthin' 'bout why we shouldn't have ta stay up all night," Big Mac said before stifling a yawn of his own. The after-effects of his intoxication were wearing on him. Darn his prankster of a friend. And darn his intolerance for alcohol!

"Oh yeah..." Naruto said with a nod before he continued his rant, "So what's so important that we have to stay up all night long? Is there some sort of cake or something? Ugh, now I'm starting to sound like Pinkie Pie..."

"And that's a bad thing?" The sudden question had Naruto jump in shock, consequently jostling Scootaloo, before he rounded on the smirking pink pony.

"Dammit Pinkie, don't do that!" the rustic orange stallion hissed at the giggling mare. Scowling, Naruto then looked over his shoulder at his passenger, "You ok, Scoot?"

"Uh-huh..." replied a shaking filly, her forelegs pressed tightly against his shoulders in an effort to hold on. Naruto gave her an apologetic look before looking back at the party pony.

"And your reason for scaring us is...?" Naruto asked. Pinkie Pie giggled before throwing her left foreleg around his neck in a hug.

"Scare you? I was merely asking what's so wrong with acting like me?" Pinkie asked with a grin before pulling out a mock frown, "O-Or do you not like me?"

Naruto rolled his eyes and pulled himself out of the mare's embrace, "Not gonna work, Pink. Don't you have something to do for the Celebration?"

"Nope! Finished yesterday! And I was busy with Twilight Sparkle's party earlier so I couldn't do anything for Princess Celestia. But she's gonna love the cake I made! It's a vanilla swirl cake with orange, yellow and red sprinkles! Don't tell anypony, but I put an extra batch of sugar in the cake, that way we all wake up for the party! Hey, there's Twilight, come on!"

Before he could get a word in, Naruto was dragged away by the energetic pony. He looked back to see a giggling Scootaloo now seated with her friends on Macintosh's back. His own friend had an amused smirk that made the orange stallion's eye twitch.

_So, Mac knew Pinkie was behind me all along, eh? This means WAR!_ Naruto's thoughts were cut off as he suddenly ran into the stage where Mayor Mare was going to make her speech. Dazed, Naruto backpedaled before falling on his butt, his head spinning from the impact.

"Oopsie!" Pinkie giggled out, though it sounded a bit distorted, "Sorry about that, Naruto! You ok?"

"W-W-Where's the leak, Ma'am?" Asked the dizzy stallion before he shook the confusion away, "Ugh, Pinkie don't ever do that again."

"Sorry about that," sheepishly apologized the pony before looking at the Unicorn next to her, "So anyway, where was I?"

"Are you sure you're ok?" Twilight asked Naruto, attempting to try and keep Pinkie Pie from going on another ramble.

"Hm? Oh yeah, I can take as many hits to the head as...uh...Anyway, the point is I've got a hard head," Naruto decided on for a response. The purple Unicorn gave him a scrutinizing gaze before looking at the stage when Mayor Mare started to speak. Naruto tuned the speech basically 'starting' the whole celebration, or so he assumed, and looked at the moon.

The image of the Alicorn mare within it flickered briefly before vanishing completely, and his blue eyes narrowed. Something was wrong. He scanned the crowd, searching for anyone else who may have noticed the incident. All he saw was Twilight, and a frown went across his features.

_A Unicorn from Canterlot arrives to check on the preparations for this Celebration-thingy and the Mare in the Moon vanishes?_ Naruto mused silently before looking up at the balcony where Celestia was to raise the sun from when everypony gasped, only for Rarity to duck in and look around for her.

"This can't be good," Twilight muttered to herself. Naruto silently agreed with the mare, holding a smirk back as Pinkie tried to keep everypony calm and in good spirits when Rarity came back out, no sign of a royal Alicorn princess behind her. Naruto's hidden smirk became a deep scowl when he saw something start to appear behind Rarity.

"Well..." Naruto said, loud enough to get the others' attention, "Shit."

Before anypony could scold the stallion for his language, a large light navy blue cloud resembling the night sky swirled up and became a tall Alicorn, similar to Celestia, but much darker in color. Her mane was that of the cloud before her and the color of her pitch-black coat and wings reminded the orange stallion of an old childhood...acquaintance. Armor a lighter shade of her mane and tail adorned her chest, head and hooves, but it was the symbol that got Naruto's attention; a white crescent moon. Icy blue-green eyes with slitted pupils gazed over the crowd before they shut and the strange Alicorn stretched her wings out.

"Ah...it feels good to get out and stretch one's wings after a thousand year nap," joked the Alicorn to herself before addressing the crowd of stunned and horrified ponies, "Oh, my precious subjects! I've missed you...it's been far, far too long."

Naruto glanced over at where he last saw Big Mac, and eyed the fillies hiding behind his hind legs. His eyes narrowed and steam shot from his nostrils when he saw Scootaloo, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle shaking. The stallion tensed and waited before he acted. He needed the right excuse to strike. For all he knew, this was part of the ceremony.

"What?" she asked in a regal, yet somewhat cruel, voice, "Has it been so long that my own subjects don't recognize me?"

"What'd you do with our princess?" Rainbow Dash asked demandingly, before trying to rush at the strange Alicorn. Applejack quickly stopped their friend by biting down on her tail. Pinkie Pie started to guess the stranger's name, only to be silenced when a large apple was shoved in her mouth.

"Am I not familiar to any of you? Has my imprisonment hindered your memories of the legacy of the crown?" The Alicorn asked as she hovered over a frightened Fluttershy before going to a petrified Rarity as she continued, "Do none of you know the legend? Has no pony seen the signs?"

"I did!" Twilight Sparkle announced, just before Naruto would rush the strange Alicorn. His tail brushed over his hind leg and a hidden marking glowed, unseen as every other pony focused on Twilight.

"I know who you are," Twilight continued, "You're the Mare in the Moon; Nightmare Moon!"

The gathered ponies gasped in fear, while Nightmare Moon smirked, "Well, well, well...Somepony remembers me...but do you know why I'm here?"

Twilight swallowed and slowly stepped back. Nightmare Moon opened her mouth to speak, when something flew past her head. Dismissing it, the tall Alicorn scanned the crowd before a yellow flash in her peripheral vision warned her of something appearing behind her.

"No! And I don't care!" Naruto snarled, causing Nightmare Moon's head to whip around and look at him. Just in time for a hoof to slam into her jaw. Nightmare Moon slid backwards, stopping her slide by opening her wings.

"Humph, bold little foal, aren't you?" The dark Alicorn muttered as she wiped her mouth with the side of her right foreleg. Naruto dropped to the ground as his tail went through the hoop at the end of his dagger. He was decked out in some sort of battle attire, where he retrieved it from, the watching ponies weren't sure, but it was the first shine of hope they had. A holster for something was stuck to his body by a blue strap that went around his midsection and over his left shoulder. Tape was wrapped around his hind legs that had three tube-like attachments on them.

"There ain't anything 'little' about me, '_Mare_," growled out the rustic orange stallion. He shifted his shoulders slightly before bracing his forelegs out to his sides.

"Oh, how precious!" chortled Nightmare Moon with a smirk as she watched the stallion with interest, "You think you can best me in a jousting, peasant?"

"Jousting, no. A fight? Hell yes," Naruto replied with a scowl before tossing the dagger in his tail up and jumping with a side flip to the left. The blade was sheathed in the holster on his shoulder and the blonde stomped his hooves once again. Before they could charge at each other, Mayor Mare interrupted them.

"Seize her! She has information on the whereabouts of our Princess!" the Mayor ordered as several Pegasi guards flew into action. Naruto galloped towards Nightmare Moon as well. He earned a sneer from the Alicorn before her eyes shined a bright white.

"**FOALS**!" She exclaimed as a shield made from lightning shot out around her. Naruto and the Pegasi guards were sent flying back, the orange Earth pony being sent through the walls of the Town Hall.

"Naruto!" Rarity cried out in worry before jumping down through the hole and after the stallion.

"Hmm...Well, I hope you're all prepared to stay up tonight," Nightmare Moon said to the terrified ponies, "Because tonight marks the beginning of the Eternal Night!"

Her mane shot up and covered the slowly brightening sky. Ponies chattered worriedly as the Alicorn laughed evilly. She transformed into a large cloud and flew away into the renewed night sky, being chased by Rainbow Dash.

"Darn!" the Pegasus grunted when the cloud left her sight. She looked down and took notice of the purple Unicorn she slammed into on accident galloping back towards the library. Narrowing her eyes, Rainbow wondered, _where's she off to?_

* * *

Naruto groaned as he pushed away some of the rubble that had fallen on him. His right hoof went to his head and he rolled onto his other three legs. He suddenly let out a gasp and his left hoof wrapped around his stomach.

"Dammit!" Naruto exclaimed through clenched teeth before spitting out some blood, "Must've broken a rib. Gah, Equestria be Damned that hurts!"

"Naruto? Naruto!" The orange stallion grunted as he turned to look at the white Unicorn that was approaching him. Knowing that if he said anything, Rarity would overreact and blab to Nurse Redheart, who would somehow get in contact with his Grandmother...Well, it would in his mind. How, he doesn't know, but he was pretty sure it would happen.

"Oh my heavens," gasped the Unicorn as Naruto pushed himself up and held back a wince, "Naruto, are you all right?"

"Me? Yeah, I'm fine," dismissed the stallion with a familiar grin, "What happened after the light show?"

"Nightmare Moon escaped," Mayor Mare said as she and two of the Pegasi guards entered, the guards carrying their third teammate. His wing was busted and he wouldn't be flying anytime soon by the look of it. The Mayor trotted closer to the larger stallion, "Naruto, where...what happened in there?"

"A good question," Rarity muttered as her eyes slightly narrowed accusingly, "Where in Equestria did you get that...harness?"

"My godfather made it," mumbled out the stallion before shaking his head and addressing the three guards stumbling in, "Hey, you guys have anyone else with you?"

One of the guards looked up and shook his head, "No sir. We're a small bodyguard squad. Princess Celestia sent us ahead to check on her student, but when we had arrived there was a party..."

"And you were dragged into it," Naruto finished before sighing, "Crap. OW!"

Mayor Mare lowered her hoof from the post-smacking position as the orange stallion shielded his head from her, "You need to watch your mouth!"

"Not the time, Mayor M," replied the stallion before he saw Fluttershy glide in. Naruto walked to her right side and didn't look at her before he spoke, "Where's everypony?"

"Big Macintosh is taking the CMC to your house since it's closer," quietly answered the Pegasus mare, "Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash went after Twilight Sparkle, who was running towards the library."

"I have a feeling she knows more than she's letting on," Naruto mused to himself before looking at the guards, "You don't know me, and I don't know you, but in my hometown I have a rank of Lieutenant."

"Lieutenant, impressive for a stallion your age," one of the guards mused, "Where are you from, lad?"

Naruto shot them a grin as he tapped his headband with his right hoof, "Hidenleaf."

The guards tensed when they spotted the insignia and snapped to attention before the one that spoke before asked, "Orders, sir?"

"Call in back up, hunker down, and keep the peace," Naruto said as he trotted out of the Hall with Rarity and Fluttershy following him, "The ponies in this town are good to one another. I don't want them to do anything they might regret if they're scared."

"Yes, sir!" Two of the guards went out to start policing the streets while the last approached the Mayor and asked, "Ma'am. Do you have a way to contact Canterlot? Usually one of us would but with my wing in the shape it is in..."

"Not to worry, I know just the pony," Mayor M trailed off as she and the guard went further into the building.

* * *

"...So what are you, a spy? Huh? Is that what you are?" Was the first thing Naruto heard as he, Rarity and Fluttershy entered the library. The stallion sighed, repressing the urge to wince as the exhale strained his injured ribs, before he bit down on Rainbow Dash's tail and pulled her away.

"Ow! What was that for, Naruto? NARUTO!" the blue Pegasus repeated with a beaming smile before hugging him tightly, much to his injury's ire, "You're OK! Oh man, that was awesome! You did that teleport thing and socked Nightmare Moon a good one! You've _got_ to teach me how to do that!"

Naruto chuckled and pushed the mare away, "Can't, Rain, you know that."

He barely repressed a very foalish scream when Pinkie Pie and Applejack slammed into him with a hug. Pinkie let go first and was shortly followed by a slightly blushing Applejack, and the former burst into a relieved spiel, "We were so worried! I mean, I knew you'd be fine because there was that time you accidently ran into a wagon and demolished it, but you just stood up and trotted off like it was nothing! But a brick wall is harder than wood. And then there was that time you fell into that pit I dug in the back of your house when I was trying to find some gold-" "That was _you_, I knew Scootaloo was too short to get in and out of that hole!" "Oops. Oh well, anyway, there was also that time you got caught in the stampede and only got a busted lip. I think you're invincible Naruto, maybe you're an immortal or something. Well, so far that's what it looks like. I mean, you haven't been set on fire yet like in that play we saw last year, or been stabbed...Hey, have you ever played chicken with a bull yet?"

"Pinkie," chuckled out the stallion as he put a hoof on her mouth, "Later, ok?"

The pink mare blinked innocently before smiling under his hoof and nodded vigorously. Naruto sighed in relief before looking at a wide-eyed Twilight. His gaze hardened and he asked, "What do you know about that mare?"

"Not much," Twilight answered after a moment, "I do know that the only way to stop her is with the Elements of Harmony. Whatever those are..."

Naruto's eyes widened, "You're kidding. Right? You at least know what they are, right?"

"No," Twilight admitted before sighing, "But I don't know where to begin looking. I lost my book that was written about them when I was younger and I don't know this library well enough yet. It could be anywhere-"

"Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide," Pinkie Pie said happily from where she stood near a bookcase. She was quickly shoved aside when Twilight appeared almost instantly in her former spot.

"How'd you find it so fast?" She asked the pink mare, the other ponies in the room looking at their party loving friend curiously as well.

Pinkie bounced across the room with a giggle before she sang, "It was under _E_!"

Everyone save Twilight chuckled at Pinkie's antics. Naruto, his smile falling, looked at the purple Unicorn and asked, "So what does it say?"

"According to this, the Elements of Harmony are six stones that represent each element: Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty and Loyalty. The sixth one isn't listed, and the book says the Elements were left by Princess Celestia in the old castle that resides in..." Twilight trailed off with a deep swallow. Curious, the others in the room approached and read over her shoulder and many faces paled. Naruto's eyes narrowed and a small scowl crossed his face.

* * *

"Everfree Forest," Naruto said as he and the six mares trotted up to the forest's entrance before muttering, "Great...This is just what my ribs need. I hate this forest."

"Everypony does," Rainbow Dash replied, having caught the last of his mutter. The stallion's blue eyes rolled and he looked at the Pegasus.

"Not like _I_ do," he shot back with a glower. The Pegasus gave him a questioning look, which he promptly ignored. If he didn't have to answer her questions, then he wasn't about to.

"This place is scary," whimpered out Fluttershy. Naruto looked over at the pale yellow Pegasus.

"You know, I can handle this," he suggested, "I wouldn't want any of you to get hurt."

"My, how chivalrous of you," Rarity sighed out as she sidled up against him. Applejack's eyes narrowed and a bit of steam shot from her nostrils. Twilight, like Naruto in being unaware of the two mares' feelings, gave Applejack a confused glance whilst Pinky Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy inwardly groaned. The last thing they wanted was a fight in the scariest woods around.

"You should just let me do it," Twilight said, stepping forward. Applejack shook her head.

"No way," the farming mare said, "Ain't no way I'm lettin' either of ya go in there alone. We're stickin' to you like caramel on a candy apple!"

"_Especially_ if there's candy apples in there," Pinkie said as the four other mares trotted ahead of her, Naruto and Twilight. Upon getting a weird look from the Unicorn, the party loving mare continued, "What? Those things are _good_!"

"Only you, Pink..." Chuckled out Naruto as he started after the five mares. He looked back to the confused purple Unicorn, "Well come on, Miss Canterlot-Unicorn. We let those mares get ahead of us and they'll run into some sort of trouble."

Twilight gave a nod and followed the rustic stallion into the woods. Naruto soon found his way to the front of the group, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious.

"So...why is this forest so feared?" Twilight, having only heard tales of the infamous Everfree Woods, asked, "I mean...there isn't anything true to those old Ponies' tales...right?"

Naruto snorted quietly to himself while Applejack answered, "This forest ain't natural. It doesn't work like the rest of Equestria..."

"Well, there were a few ponies that tried to study it," Rainbow Dash started as the group walked towards a cliff's edge. She suddenly stopped and rounded on the three in the back; Rarity, Twilight and Fluttershy. Rainbow started creeping lowly up on them, "They say that those ponies came into the woods...but never. Came. OUT!"

"Puh-lease," Rarity scoffed after jumping along with Fluttershy and Twilight, "Rainbow Dash, your stories aren't funny. This is a serious question."

"Ok, then let's ask the only pony that's gone deep in the forest," the blue Pegasus said with a smirk as she looked at the lone stallion in the group, "What do you say...Naruto? Are the stories true?"

Naruto sighed before looking at her, "Rain, not now, ok-AAAAY!"

The five ponies incapable of flight suddenly dropped over the cliff, having stopped paying attention to where they trotted. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy hurried to the screaming Ponies' aid, saving the laughing Pinkie pie and the screaming Rarity first. Applejack bit down onto a root as she passed in an effort to slow her fall. Twilight and Naruto continued to slide, the stallion grunting as his fall had dropped him on his ribs while Twilight continued to scream. The two of them slid until they nearly fell over the edge, both digging their hooves in deep to the earth to keep from falling to the ground.

Applejack, seeing this, carefully made her way to the struggling Twilight first. pushing her hooves down on Twilight's, she said, "Hang on, Twilight!"

"What other choice do I have?" Twilight asked as she strained to hold on, "Applejack, what should I do?"

Applejack paused, glancing upwards before looking back at Twilight, "Let go."

"Say _what_?" Twilight asked.

Naruto grunted as his hooves slid slightly before calling out, "Hey, as the other Pony dangling for his life: DO WHAT SHE SAYS!"

"You're crazy! Both of you!" Twilight shouted angrily.

"No we ain't," Applejack answered with a completely honest tone, "I swear to you, Twilight, you ain't gonna get hurt."

"Whatever you're gonna do," Naruto grit out as his hooves slowly slid, "Do it _now_!"

"Trust me," Applejack urged before glancing over at the other orange pony and back.

Twilight looked her fellow mare dead in the eye before taking a deep breath and nodding. Applejack nodded once before lifting her hooves and letting Twilight fall. The purple Unicorn screamed in fear as she fell before being caught by Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

Applejack tried to carefully get to Naruto before he fell, but just as she got to him, his grip faltered and down he went. Looking over the edge, Applejack cried his name, "NARUTO!"

The others looked up and watched as the orange stallion fell. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy gasped before racing to him. Naruto looked below him and his eyes widened. He looked back to the approaching Pegasi and his tail brushed over a tube on his left hind leg. In a flash of light, a small dark four-pointed star appeared in his tail and he chucked it at the approaching Pegasi. They dodged the projectile but lost the opportunity to stop his fall.

"Naruto, you foal!" Rainbow Dash called as her friend vanished into the trees. Several breaking tree branches were heard and the mares looked on in horror at the area their friend was last seen.

Before they assumed the worst, Naruto suddenly cried out, "...I'm still alive!"

The six ponies sighed in relief. Patiently, the mares waited for the stallion to come out of the woods, but were disenchanted when he continued, "Gonna take a bit to get out of this tree, though. Go on without me, I'll catch up!"

"Are you nuts/No way!" was the general response. Naruto groaned.

"You want this night to last forever! Go stop Nightmare Moon, I'll be right behind you!" he shouted again, "...I promise!"

The five mares that knew the stallion swallowed their worry before they started to, begrudgingly, trot away. Twilight looked back in his direction once before following the others.

* * *

Naruto sighed in relief as he heard them slowly trot away before looking in front of him and scowled when several Timberwolves started to approach him. He didn't like lying to the mares, but when he fell, he knocked out a Ursa Major that was in the midst of defending her offspring from a pack of hungry Timberwolves, the wooden wolf creatures that inhabited the Everfree Woods.

Bracing himself and standing defensively in front of the unconscious Ursa Major and the terrified Ursa Minor, Naruto snarled, "Oh no you don't! I might have knocked the Major out, but your next meal isn't going to be on my conscious! You'll have to get past me to eat them!"

He charged forward as the wolves leapt in to attack.

* * *

**AN: Cliffhanger (funny right?)! Well, expect my updates to be spontaneous and unexpected, because my college career has just begun. Now I know how a lot of my other favorite authors feel...**

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	5. Mare in the Moon, Pt 2

**LuckyShadowWolf is the lucky reviewer today: "Bwah ha ha ha! Narutos Badassery starts to show!"**

**Kudos for using the word 'Badassery'.**

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**Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and My Little Pony is a product of the amazing Hasbro Company. I earn no profit from this...though I probably could.**

**Live to Rise**

**5: Mare in the Moon, Pt 2  
**

* * *

The Timberwolf pack snarled as they studied the lone orange stallion. Moments ago, Naruto had knocked two of the nine Timberwolves out, leaving quite the track in their chests when his hooves slammed into them and drove them into the dirt. The pack now stood across from the stallion, eyeing an opening as he stood defensively in front of the Ursas. One Timberwolf had waited enough and charged forward.

Naruto lowered his head, driving it into the Timberwolf's chest. The Timberwolf released a loud yelp and flew backwards, before colliding with a nearby boulder. The remaining six wolves snarled and growled angrily at the pony. Naruto said nothing as he narrowed his eyes and snorted.

The blonde stallion scraped his hoof along the forest floor and steam shot out from his nostrils before he bowed his head, charging the pack in a gallop. The Timberwolves, unprepared for the attack by the pony, barely had enough time to brace themselves before he barreled through them. Naruto stopped himself by slamming his fore-hooves into the side of a Timberwolf, electing a cry of pain from the animal.

Naruto's mouth opened and he bit down on the handle of his dagger, before pulling it free. The orange stallion's now hardened blue eyes narrowed before he spun the dagger in his mouth and stabbed it down into the Timberwolf he had pinned. The Timberwolf gave one last cry before it silenced forever and Naruto closed his eyes.

"_There's no winners or losers of war, Naruto. There's survivors and fallen. In the end; it's either you...or _them_."_ The words echoed in his head, a saying that his godfather used when they were in the midst of hardcore combat training. His eyes snapped open when a pained howl struck his ears and he pushed down on the body of the Timberwolf, bringing his hind legs up to buck the Timberwolf that tried to get the drop on him when he was reminiscing.

The Timberwolf, like the one that tried charging him before, was sent flying, only this time it knocked down a tree. This managed to stir the Ursa Major from its state of unconsciousness. The Major blinked several times before taking note of its surroundings. Hiding behind her was the Minor, but in front of her was a pack of Timberwolves and an Orange Pony.

The Ursa Major looked to its offspring and asked what it had missed. Upon getting an explanation, saying first the pony knocked her out and then defended the cub, the Ursa Major made a decision that Naruto would remember for the rest of his life.

She roared.

The fighting between Timberwolf and Earth Pony stopped at the earth-shaking roar. The four wolves crouched and growled as they faced this new foe. Naruto narrowed his eyes and pulled his dagger from the Timberwolf carcass. Throwing it up and catching the weapon through the hoop with his tail, Naruto whistled.

The Timberwolves looked at him and the stallion said, "What? You pansies think you're done with me?"

Two of the Timberwolves turned around and faced him, growling ferociously, while the two others faced the Ursa Major. The Ursa Major growled and fell to its feet with a bang, unknowingly snapping an already old bridge so that it collapsed, still towering over the remnants of the pack that had tried to make a quick snack out of its child. The Timberwolves crouched lower and their wooden tails went between their legs as they growled.

Naruto started to twirl his dagger in preparation to throw it. The Timberwolves growled and started to back away into the woods, leaving their fallen behind but memorizing the location to come back for them. Naruto and the Ursa Major watched the remaining quartet fade into the Everfree Woods with cautious eyes before looking at each other. Naruto slowly sheathed his weapon, so as to not worry the Ursa, before he started to back away.

The Ursa had other plans.

After a threatening growl, Naruto found himself frozen in place as her tail started to snake around his midsection, thankfully it wasn't tight. The orange coated pony swallowed and felt sweat fall down the back of his neck. He nearly lost control of his bladder when the Ursa lifted him up and brought him to her eyesight. The constellation bear sniffed him once before opening her mouth.

Naruto recoiled in fear and squeezed his eyes shut in preparation for the end.

He was _not_ prepared for the large, slimy and rough tongue engulfing one side of his head before going upwards in a lick. Naruto gasped for air before groaning, "Oh that's so gross..."

The Ursa took no insult to this and rubbed it's star-covered cheek against his own whiskered one in gratitude. Naruto chuckled nervously when he was placed back down on the ground and watched by the Ursa Major.

"Heh, heh...uh, it's no problem. Thanks for uh...breaking my fall, I guess," Naruto said before turning to leave, "Well, I gotta go. My friends are gonna need help."

The Minor released a displeased roar before rushing around and coming to stop in front of him. Naruto felt his eyes widen as the grateful cub opened its forelegs and pulled him in for a big bear hug. A strangled yelp escaped the stallion's mouth as his ribs screamed in protest of the 'grateful affection'. A smaller, yet equally slimy and rough tongue went up his dry cheek, making it nearly as damp as the other side.

"...You're welcome..." Muttered the stallion when he was set down. The Ursa family then left the doused stallion as they retreated into their nearby cave. The orange pony felt his eye twitch and grumbled, "There better be a damn lake nearby. I am _not_ going to let Rarity try and give me a makeover because I showed up dirty...again."

* * *

The stallion grumbled and muttered to himself as he trotted through the woods, passing a peacefully sleeping Manticore and several strange trees that seemed to be missing something, before coming across a calm river. Relieved, Naruto prepared to trot forward, but before he could enter the stream, a tall purple scaled sea serpent with orange fins and moustache rose. Naruto growled angrily, before his eyes locked on a royal purple extension tied to the right side of the moustache.

"Oh my, that putrid smell!" the sea monster exclaimed in disgust, "What have you been doing? Rolling in the feces of a dragon?"

"Where did you get that...hair?" the stallion asked. The sea serpent blinked once before beaming.

"Oh the nicest Unicorn cut her tail off to fix my moustache!" he explained with a flamboyant tone, "Oh, the dear was just so kind and understanding. I do feel guilty that she lost her tail over my silly incident."

_Only Rarity would be that generous_, mused Naruto. He sighed and shook his head before looking at the sea serpent, "Ok, er...?"

"Oh! How rude of me, I never gave them my name either. My name is Sebastian, and you are?" Sebastian asked curiously.

The stallion chuckled, "In need of a bath, myself. Accidently got into a scuffle back there and separated from the mares that came through here. Naruto. Naruto Uzukaze."

"Oh my, what a fabulous name!" Sebastian complimented, "You must be from the Eastern villages. Oh, my cousin Ricardo told me about them after he got back from his vay-kay, he even brought me the most interesting book... Ugh, I'm rambling again, sorry."

"Meh, I'm used to it," shrugged the stallion before he looked at the river, "Er, this might be a weird question, but can I wade in the river to get this Ursa slobber off me?"

"Ooh, Ursa slobber is clingy. Wading in my river might not be enough," the serpent murmured before snapping his right fingers, "Ah-ha! I have just the thing. Don't move now!"

With that, Sebastian dropped under the water, leaving Naruto behind to wait patiently. A few minutes later, and the serpent rose from the depths with a bottle in his hand. On it was the image of a sleek moustache and in his other hand was a bucket filled with the river's water.

"Hold your breath!" Sebastian warned the stallion, before turning the bucket over and dumping all of it on him. Naruto braced himself before he was engulfed in the liquid, doused and most of the Ursa slobber was washed away. The blonde pony begun to shake himself dry but was quickly stopped by the sea serpent.

"Ah, ah, ah," Sebastian said with a shake of his fingers, "One more thing. This bottle will get that icky slobber out of your coat in a jiff."

"Ah, you don't have to-" "Oh but I want to," cut off the serpent with a smile, "There's that old saying you know, 'Generosity spreads faster than a virus!'"

Naruto sighed and relented, allowing the serpent to give him a quick bath and rinsing him in the same manner as before. Now clean, Naruto shook himself dry. He spun his tail around and whipped it, spraying the remaining water on it at a tree, before looking at Sebastian with a grin, "Thanks."

"My pleasure," the serpent said with a smile before extending between the gap in a bridge-like manner, "After you, Mr. Uzukaze."

The stallion chuckled and nodded before hopping across, thanking the serpent once he got across. As Naruto galloped towards the old tower, Sebastian rose from the water and rubbed his chin before snapping his fingers with a pout, "Oh, foo! I knew his name was familiar...Oh well, I'll ask him to autograph my _Raging_ _Storm_ novel another time."

* * *

Naruto grimaced as he came across the rickety bridge that separated him from the ruins of Princess Celestia's former castle. His ribs weren't anywhere close to being somewhat healed and the constant moving wasn't helping his advanced healing abilities at all. Eyeing the bridge, he put a cautious hoof on the wood. No break. He put some weight on that hoof.

Snap.

"Dammit," grumbled the rustic orange stallion as he stepped back. He pulled his dagger out and looped his tail through the hole before starting to twirl it. A group of screams pierced the night sky and Naruto's resolve hardened.

The blade twirled faster in his tail before he let it fly, well over the gap and over the first ruined tower to another. The blade sunk into the high wall and Naruto reacted to the very familiar pull he felt every time the blade impacted on something. He vanished in a flash of yellow light, appearing next to the second floor of a ruined tower.

"Crap!" exclaimed the pony before he threw his hooves forward and clung to the wall with a light blue aura. Below him he heard laughter and his eyes narrowed. Pulling the blade out with his tail, Naruto ran down the wall to the lower window.

* * *

"You're kidding," Nightmare Moon said in surprise as the small purple unicorn scraped her hoof along the ground, "You're kidding, right?"

Twilight didn't give a verbal response and instead galloped full speed towards the dark Alicorn. Nightmare Moon scowled and charged towards the younger pony with her own head dipped. Twilight's horn started to become encased in purple aura. The two mares neared each other, but before there was a collision (or worse, an impalement), Twilight Sparkle vanished in a bright flash of white light. Reappearing behind a stunned Nightmare Moon next to five stone spheres.

"Impossible!" the Alicorn cried.

"It worked! Now I just need a spark," Twilight said to herself with a grin, closing her eyes and concentrating. Her horn started to spark with electricity, making Nightmare Moon's eyes widen in horror.

"No...NO!" the Alicorn cried out before charging her own spell, "**NO**!"

_Please...let this work!_ Twilight silently pleaded before a large arc of electricity shot out to the stones. With relief and a smile on her face, Twilight said, "Yes!"

She looked at Nightmare Moon victoriously before her eyes widened when said Mare was still standing there and charging her spell. The dark Alicorn chuckled and gave the smaller pony a smirk.

"You can't even get the stones to work, can you?" Nightmare Moon asked tauntingly, "Oh well...I won't let you try again!"

"Mind if I cut in?" Naruto asked through gritted teeth suddenly as he jumped through the window at the Alicorn. Distracted, Nightmare Moon looked at the approaching stallion and her spell discharged. The magic shot at its new target: Naruto. The stallion's eyes widened when he was engulfed in the magical blast.

"No!" Twilight cried out when the stallion was sent sliding on his back to the wall. Naruto gasped and blood escaped his mouth, the younger mare raced towards him in concern while the Alicorn rushed to the stones and crushed them beneath her hooves.

Twilight, distraught, fell to her haunches in defeat. Quietly, she muttered, "I...Failed..."

Nightmare Moon chortled victoriously, "You did indeed! Spectacularly if I do say so myself! Now no one can stop me from making this Night last forever!"

"W-W-Wanna bet?" Naruto grumbled as he forced himself to his hooves. Concerned for the stallion, Twilight tried to get him to stay down, but he brushed past her, his eyes locked on Nightmare Moon. Spitting some blood out of his mouth, the injured stallion fell into a prepared stance before he spoke to the Alicorn, "Th-those stones might be gone, but there's always another way!"

"Ah, the bold little colt that doesn't know his place," Nightmare Moon said in recognition, "Such inspiring words. A shame only you two are here to remember them. You know, once I finish ensuring my hold over Equestria, I'm going to need a strong knight. What do you say?"

"G-G...Get mounted...," growled the stallion. The Alicorn's eyes flashed angrily.

"Hm, quite the mouth on you," mused Nightmare Moon with a frown, "No matter. I'll break you down to the basics and then 'fix' you later on. I might do the same to the little fillies in Ponyville. Loyal subjects are the best after all."

"Over my dead body!" Naruto snapped as he charged forward, his vision red with rage. Nightmare Moon smirked and sent the blonde tumbling backwards with her wing dismissively. Naruto groaned and pushed himself to his hooves.

"That...That all ya got?" Naruto asked with a bloody smirk, "My grandmother hits harder than you...and she's younger too."

Steam shot from the dark Alicorn's nostrils and she bowed her head, "You're going to regret those words, _colt_."

Naruto's smirk died down when he was encased in magic. He felt his ribs being twisted from the inside out, making him scream in agony. Nightmare Moon looked at a horrified and frightened Twilight Sparkle with a twisted smirk.

"Do you see what bravery gets you, little Unicorn?" the elder mare asked curiously, "Pain. Injuries. Eventually, death comes along and ends it, but I won't. Not unless you kneel! Kneel before your rightful ruler!"

"D-Don't!" Naruto gasped out as his eyes shot open and he looked at the roof, "Don't give in!"

"**Silence**!" Demanded the Alicorn as she focused on the stallion. Naruto let out another cry of pain, alerting the five mares piling outside of the door to his presence.

* * *

"That sounds like..." Rainbow Dash started before her eyes narrowed and she screamed in rage, "LET HIM GO!"

"Twilight! Twilight, are you ok?" Applejack asked as she pushed against the door, "We're here! We've got your back no matter what!"

"We believe in you, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie cheered, "Kick her butt!"

"Twilight! Open the door! We'll help you!" Rarity called from her place, getting a nod of agreement from Fluttershy.

Rainbow Dash stood on her hind hooves and slammed on the doors, "Let me at her! I'll rip her apart!"

"Geez, Rainbow, aren't you the eager one?" Fluttershy quietly remarked. Rainbow's angry gaze whirled on her friend.

"That's _not_ Twilight screaming!" she informed the group of five before resuming her assault on the doors, "It's Naruto!"

"Wha-? How'd he get passed us?" Pinkie Pie asked in confusion before paling, "Wait...That's...?"

"NARUTO!" Rarity and Applejack cried out in worry before they started to help Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy shrunk back in horror when the scream became louder once more before it died down. The three slamming on the door stopped before renewing in vigor, worried for their friends.

"Twilight, open the door!" Rainbow shouted, "We can help you!"

"Let us in!" Rarity cried.

"Ya no good varmint, if ya touch one hair on either of their manes, I'll skin ya alive!" Applejack screamed angrily, her legendary fury coming to the surface.

* * *

Back inside the room, Nightmare Moon frowned as Naruto passed out in her grip and tossed him aside. Rounding on the other pony in the vicinity, the Alicorn said cruelly, "Well, it seems he was full of hot air. Now, little Unicorn, you are going to meet your end here. And with the stallion gone, you'll be going out much like I did. _Alone_!"

Twilight backed up to the double doors, before listening to the ponies she met and narrowing her eyes. Standing tall, she looked at the downed stallion before determinedly staring at the Alicorn, "No...I'm not alone! I have my friends, and like Naruto said, there's always another way!"

Her horn glowed briefly before the doors behind her shattered and revealed the three infuriated mares along with two distraught ones. The remains of the 'elements' lifted up and shot to each of the five ponies behind her. Looking at the confused Nightmare Moon, Twilight elaborated, "The stones never were the Elements of Harmony, because they can't openly _show_ the elements!"

The stones surrounding the five mares glowed brightly and Twilight explained them, "Applejack is Honesty: because she didn't lie to me when I nearly fell over the edge of a cliff in an effort to help Naruto; Fluttershy is Kindness: because while the rest of us attacked it, she took the time to help the Manticore. Pinkie Pie is Laughter: When the rest of us cowered at the trees in the forest, she cheered us up and laughed the fear away; Rarity is Generosity: Sacrificing her tail to make a sea serpent feel better about his appearance shows that; Rainbow Dash is Loyalty: Instead of getting a shortcut to her dream, she chose to help us beat you."

"You're missing one," Nightmare Moon hissed, "There are Six!"

Twilight smirked, "The Sixth is revealed with a Spark: Not of electricity, but Magic. And seeing as I'm the student of Princess Celestia, I am the Magic that binds us together!"

Her eyes shut and the stones flashed a bright white, encasing the room in blinding light. Nightmare Moon gave a final cry of dismay before vanishing in the sudden explosion of white.

* * *

The Mares of Harmony woke up to chirping birds and a shining sun. Fluttershy looked at Twilight and asked, "Is...Is it over?"

Before the purple unicorn could answer, a regal and kind voice spoke in her place, "Indeed. You all did wonderfully!"

The mares turned and gasped when they saw a white Alicorn with a aquamarine, light blue and purple mane standing before them. Her hooves had golden covers, matching the crown and necklace that she had. Her white coat contrasted well with the tri-colored mane and tail.

"Princess Celestia!" the mares exclaimed in shock before five of them bowed. Twilight, however, rushed to her beloved teacher in an embraced. They shared a private conversation before Celestia went to the small dark colored pony in the corner of the room.

"It is good to see you again, Luna," Celestia said to the wide-eyed Alicorn, "I have missed you...Sister."

"Sister?" the Mares of Harmony repeated in shock.

"Tell me, Luna, are you done with your selfish ways?" Celestia asked, "Will you rejoin me at the castle?"

Luna closed her eyes and embraced the taller Alicorn, "Oh sister! I'm so sorry!"

"There, there," Celestia shushed the smaller mare, "All is better now..."

They all started to smile at the heartwarming scene when Rainbow Dash remembered something. Looking around, she gasped in worry when her eyes landed on the stallion in the other side of the room. Rainbow Dash, true to her name, dashed over to the stallion after exclaiming, "NARUTO!"

That snapped the ponies from their smiles. Even the princesses frowned at the stallion's name.

Rarity and Applejack both quickly followed Rainbow Dash to where the stallion they liked lay. Blood was pooling around his mouth and dark bruises were already covering his body. The three felt tears begin to pool in their eyes and, after turning away from the scene, leaned on each other for support. Luna looked away out of guilt and shame while Celestia's face became saddened for them. Pinkie Pie smiled sadly, failing miserably to try and see the lighter side this time around. Fluttershy went to help her friends deal with their grief while Twilight looked away, feeling just as guilty as Luna due to her inaction.

Only Celestia heard the small gasp. The regal white Alicorn watched with widening eyes as the stallion started pushing himself to his hooves with a few wheezy coughs. Looking through a bruised and swollen eye at the depressed ponies in the room, he coughed once again before asking, "H-Hey...wh-why ya cryin' Rain? Somepony die or somethin'?"

Rainbow Dash sniffled and looked over her shoulder briefly, "Sh-Shut up Naruto! I'm not cry...NARUTO!"

"Uh...yeah?" He asked before being hugged enthusiastically by the Pegasus and gasping in pain, "Oh dear Equestria! Rain, get off me dammit!"

The ponies gasped at the cuss while Rainbow sheepishly released him, helping him to his hooves and letting him lean on her. Naruto looked through a bleary eye, before his sight landed on a ashamed Luna. Narrowing his eyes, he then looked at the jewelry that adorned each of the other mares in the room before looking back at her.

Smiling cheekily, he said, "T-Told ya there was another way..."

Then his vision went dark.

* * *

Naruto blinked several times before waking up to the sound of steady beeping. He pushed his hooves down to sit up on his haunches before wincing. Looking down he saw his midsection heavily bandaged. Naruto scowled and examined his surroundings with a frown. White walls, floor, ceiling and large windows.

_Yup,_ he thought, _I'm in the hospital...Again._

The door clicked and Naruto prepared to give his usual nurse a beaming grin in an effort to try to get out of the dreaded white rooms of doom, but stopped when a chill went up his spine. Much to his horror, it wasn't Nurse Redheart or any of the other Mares of Harmony that came in. No, in walked a lightly tanned Unicorn with a pale yellow mane and tail, each having two bands in them and separating them into two sections. The tip of her horn was a royal purple and her Cutie Mark was a red cross with a green diamond in the center of it. She wore a green jacket with markings that translated to 'Gambler' in his village's ancient language on the back.

With a feral grin, the mare spoke, "Well, well, well...So this is where you've been hiding out, eh, brat?"

Naruto swallowed heavily before he gave the mare a nervous grin, "H-Hey...Grandma T-Tsunade. H-How's life?"

* * *

**AN: Ah, so we finally bring the elegant, powerful, and hotheaded Tsunade into the fray. What could be next for our orange-coated friend?**

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	6. Visitors from Hidenleaf

**Review of the Day goes to Sgt. Nolisten: "****Don't listen to that cowardly anon reviewer Orange mate, and keep doing what you do best, and that's being awesome."**

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**Here we go! Disclaimer away!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and My Little Pony is a product of the amazing Hasbro Company. I earn no profit from this...though I probably could.**

**Live to Rise**

**6: Visitors from Hidenleaf**

* * *

"N-Now don't do anything drastic, Grandma Tsunade," Naruto said with a shiver as he shrunk into the bed when the unicorn that entered moments ago stalked towards him. The orange stallion's blue eyes frantically scanned the room, searching for some sort of device that would call the other nurses in the case of an emergency. A chuckle drew his attention back to the hazel eyes of the tan unicorn.

"Oh, you silly colt," Tsunade teased with a grin that was far too sweet to be real, "You think I'm going to let _any_pony take care of you? No, when Princess Celestia told me via emergency messenger that _you_ were severely injured, _I_ galloped here as fast as I could and took control of this hospital."

Naruto blinked before swallowing, "Y-You...You put Doc Hoof through a wall, didn't you?"

"He's still in intensive care..." the medical Unicorn replied before musing to herself, "Mental note: have Shizune send a gift basket."

"H-How did Celestia know to contact you?" Naruto asked cautiously as he tried to slip out of the bed. Tsunade snapped from her musing and glared at the stallion. Before he could attempt to escape, the mare appeared next to him and slammed her left hoof into his head.

_After_ Naruto pulled his head out of the mattress and floor, Tsunade gave him a verbal response, "You're an enlisted Earth Pony, Naruto. The Princess has access to all sorts of information thanks to that. Not to mention you're next in line for-"

"_Don't_ remind me," Naruto grumbled as he shook the dizziness away. Why did he insist on antagonizing her again?

Oh yeah, he was _still_ in a hospital. Ugh.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at the stallion, "You have an obligation to Hidenleaf, brat!"

"...But that job is _so_ boring..." complained the blue-eyed stallion before he was struck again, thankfully lighter than before. Though he found himself back in the hole Tsunade drilled him into moments ago.

"Stupid brat," the mare grumbled before the door opened and she snapped her attention to it, "_What_?"

Nurse Redheart, seeing the destroyed bed and the stallion attempting to pull his head out of the ground once again, swallowed before nervously asking, "Um...A-A filly would like to see Naruto, Mrs.-"

"_Doctor_," Tsunade growled with narrowed eyes and a sparkling horn. Nurse Redheart swallowed again and nodded vigorously in understanding. Tsunade looked at Naruto, who managed to free his head once again, before looking at the nurse and nodding, "Alright."

Nurse Redheart, relieved at being dismissed, looked behind her and said, "You can go in now."

"Thanks Nurse Redheart!" Scootaloo said happily before galloping into the room. Naruto blinked before cringing when he saw what was heading towards him.

"NARUTO!" "OH EQUESTRIA!"

Scootaloo had launched herself at her surrogate brother and began sobbing in relief as she hugged him around his still tender midsection. Naruto fought his own tears back, caused by physical pain not emotional, and hugged the filly back. He lowered his head and put it against the side of hers in a soothing gesture.

"Hey...Hey Scoot," Naruto whispered to the crying Pegasus filly, "Shh...It's okay. Shh."

"Y-You were all b-bandaged up!" Scootaloo said through hiccups, "T-T-They wouldn't-wouldn't let me in!"

Naruto sighed, "I'm fine, Scoot."

"T-They said you w-were g-gonna d..." the filly broke down, crying harder and buried her face in the crook of his neck. The orange stallion frowned and hugged her slightly tighter. Scootaloo sobbed for a good ten minutes, being soothed by the stallion and both being watched by the still unnoticed mare.

_...Is that _**his **_filly?_ Tsunade asked herself out of shock before shaking her head, _No, no way! The brat isn't his Godfather. This requires investigation._

When the filly had quieted down, Tsunade cleared her throat to get the siblings' attention. Scootaloo blinked in confusion before looking at Naruto with her reddened purple eyes and asked, "W-Who's she?"

Naruto smiled nervously, "She's a very, very...important pony, Scoot."

"Why's she here though?" Scoot asked before scowling, "Is she another fan filly?"

"By Celestia, I hope not," groaned out the stallion. Tsunade scowled at him before smiling softly at the filly.

"My name is Tsunade Kato," Tsunade said with a bow of her head, "I'm that brat of a colt's _grandmother_..."

Seeing as she said this with a shudder, Naruto frowned, "You make it sound like you'd rather be my third-aunt from my mother's side than my grandma, _Grandma_ Tsunade."

A pen suddenly shot out at him and slammed into his side. Naruto whinnied in shock before holding his right leg against the assaulted spot and pouting at her. Scootaloo giggled, it was always funny when Naruto was punished for something she didn't understand.

"Brat," Tsunade snorted before smiling at Scootaloo, "And you are?"

"I'm Scootaloo!" The Pegasus filly introduced herself before hugging Naruto, "I'm Naruto's sister!"

_THANK CELESTIA!_ Tsunade sighed out in relief internally while smirking at the orange-coated stallion, "A sister, eh?"

Already knowing what cards his gambling grandmother would play next, Naruto's nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed, "Don't. You. Dare."

"Oh, I might _dare_," Tsunade growled back through a forced smile, "Behave yourself, brat. I'll be back later to discuss that..._thing_."

"Yeah, whatever, I guess I'll be here," sighed out the stallion as he hung his head in defeat. Tsunade studied him for a brief moment before nodding in content and leaving the room. Before shutting the door, Tsunade looked over her shoulder and said, "Oh, and a pleasure meeting you, Scootaloo."

"You too, Ms. Tsunade!" the filly said with a wave. As soon as the door shut, Naruto grinned.

"Like I'm gonna stay in the hospital," he said before looking down at his bandaged gut with a frown, "Hmm...Hey Scoot, wanna get my bandages off?"

"What? Why?" the filly asked curiously, "Don't ya need them on to get better?"

"You know how fast I can heal, Scoot. Once these bandages are off and I put my headband on, I can leave," Naruto explained before his eyes went to his head and he paled, "No..."

"What?" Scootaloo asked out of curiosity. Naruto went to a window and looked at his reflection. His eyes widened and a look of dread crossed his face.

"She wouldn't...She couldn't..." the stallion murmured to himself before sighing in depression and falling to his haunches, "She did...Ah, dammit..."

"What's wrong, Naruto?" the Pegasus filly in the room asked as she trotted to her brother's side. Naruto looked at her with depressed eyes.

"Grandma Tsunade took my headband..." he whimpered, "She probably won't give it back until I'm 'fit for duty'!"

"So?" Scootaloo asked with confusion. What was the big deal?

Naruto banged his head on the protected glass once before replying in a defeated tone, "I can't leave this hospital...not until I get my headband back..."

"Why not?" his sister asked, still lost on why his headband was keeping him from leaving. Naruto sighed before looking at the filly.

"The headband I always wear, even when sleeping," started the orange stallion, "has a significant meaning behind it. It's...It's like a Cutie Mark."

Scootaloo's eyes widened and she listened intently. If his headband was like a Cutie Mark, then that meant it was _very_ important.

"A Cutie Mark symbolizes what a pony is exceptionally good at, right?" Naruto quizzed his little sister, getting an affirmative nod from the filly, before he continued, "Well, the headband I wear symbolizes my adulthood. It shows that I'm no longer a colt, and that I've earned my place amongst other stallions and mares."

"Wow...wait, is that what mine means too?" Scootaloo asked out of curiosity and eagerness. Naruto blinked before chuckling.

"Sure, why not?" the orange stallion said with a smile as he patted Scootaloo on her head with his hoof, "You do well at taking care of yourself, don't you?"

"Yup!" Scootaloo agreed, before frowning, "But that doesn't mean you have to leave."

Naruto blinked, surprised by the serious tone she spoke with. He then smiled in understanding and wrapped his leg around her, bringing her in for another hug.

"Can't get rid of me that easily, Scootaloo," the orange stallion said quietly, "I won't leave you to grow up alone..."

"Thanks Naruto."

"Anytime, Scoot," He replied softly before grinning, "Besides...I'm just _too_ awesome to die."

The filly giggled and leaned further into her brother's side as they looked out the window together, both relishing in their sibling love for one another.

* * *

While the heart-to-heart was happening between the orange-coated siblings, another orange coated Earth Pony was in the midst of a heated argument with one of the few nurses in the hospital. The Apple siblings and the other Mares of Harmony had stopped by with a depressed Scootaloo earlier, but only the young Pegasus was taken to see their injured friend.

"What do y'all mean we can't go visit?" Applejack raged with steam shooting out of her nostrils, "He's our friend!"

Nurse Tenderheart sighed, "Listen Miss Apple, I understand that you're worried for Mr. Uzukaze, but he's only allowed visits from family members. We only have the filly Scootaloo listed as a family member."

"Who made up that stupid rule?" Applejack asked with a snort. A clipboard suddenly shot past the raging mare and splintered into pieces upon impact with the wall. Applejack turned to ask who threw the item, when a new Unicorn mare walked into the room, a piglet on her back.

The Unicorn's coal eyes were narrowed and her short black mane contrasted well with the white coat she had. Around her neck was a headband similar, if not identical to, Naruto's and her cutie mark was a red cross with two needles crossing through it in an 'X'. The little pig on her back was frowning as well and had beads around its neck. The most noticeable features, however, were the bags under her and the piglet's eyes.

"Listen, filly, if you don't like the rules my teacher set up then leave!" the mare snarled angrily, "Otherwise, take a seat and _shut up_!"

"An' who are you ta boss me around?" Applejack asked with a scowl.

"Shizune Kato," the nurse introduced herself with a frown, "SCMO of the Hidenleaf village." Snort. "Oh, and this is Ton-Ton."

"SCMO?" The ponies in the room repeated in confusion. Big Mac stared at the mare's headband and his eyes widened.

"Yer from Naruto's village," he said in realization, gaining the room's attention. Shizune blinked and nodded slowly.

"Yes," she replied, "Lady Tsunade, our village's CMO, was summoned by Princess Celestia when we found out about Naruto's...predicament."

"What's an SCMO?" Twilight, ever the scholar, asked curiously, "Is that an acronym for something?"

Shizune bit on her lip before nodding, "Yes. I'll be brief. I've got things to do and they'd have been done if _somepony_," the mare glared at Applejack, "Hadn't disturbed my patients."

"You callin' me out?" Applejack asked, her tail being bitten on and pulled by Rainbow Dash. The farming pony yelped and glared at the Pegasus, who shrugged.

"You know what they say about payback," she innocently commented. Twilight shook her head at the two mares' antics before looking expectantly at Shizune.

Sighing, the nurse spoke again, "SCMO stands for Second-in-Command Medical Officer. I'm the second highest ranking expert in our village."

"That...sounds like a military title," a worried Fluttershy murmured. Shizune nodded.

"It is," Shizune said, getting the ponies (and curious fillies) to go wide eyed, "Hidenleaf is a militia village. We're Equestria's first defense against outside attacks."

"Naruto never told us that," Rainbow Dash accused with a frown. The SCMO rolled her eyes.

"Well, I'm not surprised," she said, "He tends to act more and more like a spymaster than a-"

"SHIZUNE! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"

"Eep! Sorry, gotta run," Shizune apologized before glaring at Applejack, "And you; keep it down!"

"Nyeh!" Applejack shot back when she stuck out her tongue at the galloping mare, electing giggles from Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. The Mares of Harmony retreated back into a waiting room before they started to talk, while Big Mac went back to the ranch to get back to work.

"Hey, Twilight, what can you tell us about Hidenleaf?" Rainbow Dash asked. The purple Unicorn blinked before frowning.

"Not much," she replied, "I briefly went over it with Princess Celestia once, but she never elaborated on it. She said it was the birthplace of the Stallions of Sacrifice."

"The who to the what now?" Rarity asked in confusion. Twilight sighed.

"I don't know," said the purple unicorn, "She said they were a lot like the Elements of Harmony, but that they have their own darkness to fight. Basically, Hidenleaf is a mystery, except to the guards and the Princesses."

"Then why don't we ask a guard? Maybe they'll tell us!" Pinkie Pie suggested cheerfully. Applejack, having calmed down a bit, shook her head in disagreement.

"That won't work," she said to the pink mare, "Those fellas are more borin' than watchin paint dry."

"Indeed," Rarity agreed with a hum, before her eyes sparkled, "Ooh! Idea-a-a!"

"What's your plan?" Rainbow Dash asked. Rarity smiled proudly.

"Why don't we ask Naruto?" she suggested, and before her plan could be debunked, she continued with, "We never _properly_ asked him about his past."

"Ah, um, but Naruto doesn't like talking about his past," Fluttershy said, shrinking a bit when her friends' eyes landed on her. She continued softly, "H-He's very private despite being outgoing."

"We could always ask Scootaloo what she knows," Rainbow Dash suggested, getting odd looks from the others, "What? I wasn't being serious, you know."

"No, it's...that's a good idea," Twilight said in surprise, "And it's not...'extreme'."

The blue Pegasus frowned, "Hey, I have good ideas!"

She growled as her friends continued to brainstorm, avoiding giving her a positive reply. Huffing, Rainbow Dash thought to herself, _At least Naruto would have given me a response...Even if it would have been a smart mouth one._

* * *

Naruto paced through the room, wincing now and then as the movement strained his tender ribs. Celestia's Sun had already set and Luna's Moon was high in the sky, surrounded by the stars. The blonde stallion looked over at his little sister, who was sleeping on half of the destroyed bed. Scootaloo shivered once in her sleep and Naruto smiled before trotting to her side and pulling a blanket over her.

"You're just like your father, you know that?" Naruto's smile dimmed and her turned to look at Tsunade. She had a small smile on her face, causing Naruto's to renew. The Unicorn continued, "He would always do something so bucking stupid that I'd have to patch him up afterwards."

"Jiraiya said I acted more like my mother," the stallion mused. Tsunade snorted.

"Jiraiya is an idiot," she replied as she trotted into the room, "You probably did embrace your mother's bullheadedness, but he probably was referring to the pervert beatings you gave him."

Naruto smiled fondly at the memories, "Yeah...Well, most of the credit goes to those mares and stallions he was watching. They sure can organize fast..."

The two remained quiet as they looked down at the sleeping Scootaloo before Naruto asked, "Any word from him?"

"Unfortunately, yes," grumbled out the tan Unicorn. Naruto's smile grew slightly, but fell when Tsunade continued, "But I can't tell you anything."

"Rank too low?" he asked bitterly. Tsunade sighed and looked away.

"Naruto, you know that what you did was wrong," she said softly, getting an irritated snort from the stallion.

"Maybe to the Council," he grunted, "But not me. I wasn't going to let them get away with it."

"And I'm proud of you for making that choice," Tsunade replied with a smile, before she frowned, "But you know the only way for you to regain your former status is to come back and reclaim your father's title."

"I don't need to rely on my name to get ahead," Naruto snapped, determination burning in his eyes, "There's a reason I go by Uzukaze now."

Tsunade rolled her eyes, "Combining your parent's names, how original. Naruto, Hiruzen can't stay in control, if you don't take the Hat from him soon-"

"'I'm too _inexperienced_,'" the stallion spat, his eyes glaring out the window before looking at her, "Those were your words when I tried three years ago. I haven't gone on a mission in _two_! Does that make me more _responsible_? Does that make me _experienced_? Why are you bothering me about this now? What changed?"

"Hiruzen is _DYING_, Naruto!" Tsunade roared, her grief and anger snapping. Her exclamation got Naruto to pause and widen his eyes. The Chief Medical Officer also had wide eyes, shocked that she revealed that in such a manner.

"H-He...The Old Stallion's...?" Words failed him and Naruto felt that his world was crumbling apart. Hiruzen, the Third Chief of Hidenleaf, was an important part of Naruto's childhood. When he was a foal, the Third Chief would always tell him stories of his parents and of the Generals that came before him.

"N-Naruto?" Scootaloo asked, blinking her sleep away as she slowly sat up, "Wh-what's goin' on?"

Naruto shook himself from the shock and went to the filly's side, running his hoof gently over her mane and lulling her back to sleep. Softly, Naruto said, "Nothing' Scoot. Go back to sleep."

"Mm 'Kay," the young Pegasus replied as she laid back down, "Night Naruto..."

"Night Scoot," he replied as the filly returned to her slumbering. Once he was sure his sister was asleep, Naruto looked at Tsunade, "When?"

"I gave him three months before I was summoned," the Unicorn said with a saddened face, "I...Naruto, you weren't supposed to find out like that. I'm sorry."

"Don't be, Grandma Tsunade," Naruto replied with a forced smile, "It's my fault."

He felt his face fall when he looked back at Scootaloo, "But...I can't. Not yet."

"Naruto, I understand," Tsunade said, getting his attention, "You have more important things to do right now, but please...don't let _Them_ win. I'll do what I can to buy you more time."

Naruto nodded and trotted to Scootaloo's side before he lied down next to her. Tsunade left the room, knowing she just dropped a huge bomb on the young stallion, but felt it was for the best that he found out from her before anything bad could happen.

* * *

The next morning Naruto woke up with Scootaloo early. Next to them was a silver tray, on it were a rolled up scroll and Naruto's headband. After using his tail to place the headband on his head, Naruto opened the scroll and began to read.

_Brat,_

_If you couldn't tell, you're all set to go. Your ribs are healed and as your CMO I'm __**ORDERING**__ you to take it easy. Relax and act your age for once. Heck, go get wasted and mount somepony for all I care. HOWEVER, if I so much as hear a __**peep**__ about you going off to rescue mares and fight dark spirits again I'll PERSONALLY kill you, bring you back, and then kill you again._

_I've got eyes on you now, Brat, and be sure to have a clean bill of health when I come visit!_

_Tsunade Kato, Chief Medical Officer of Hidenleaf._

_P. S., Tell Scootaloo that I said it was nice meeting her._

Naruto snorted and blushed from the scroll, snapping it shut before Scootaloo could try and read it. Tsunade's letters were always blunt and sometimes harsh, but he knew that she was the type of mare that threatened you to show how much she cared.

"Aw, why can't I see?" whined the young Pegasus filly. The orange stallion chuckled as he tossed the scroll into his saddlebags.

"You'll understand when you're older, Scoot," Naruto said with a faint blush. Inwardly, he thought, _Though I will kill any damn colt that tries to come near you or the other two Cutie Mark Crusaders_.

Nopony was going to sully his little sister(s) if he could help it!

"Come on, Scoot," the stallion said to his sister once he managed to pull his saddlebags on, "Let's go show the others I lived."

The duo left his former hospital room, taking the stairs due to Naruto's distrust of the elevators. Scootaloo jumped onto his back, apologizing when he gave a quiet yelp of pain, about halfway down the flights of stairs. As soon as they walked into the waiting room, however, they were surprised to find the Elements sprawled across the various furniture.

Pinkie was draped across one of the couches and was snoring loudly, a trickle of drool escaping her lips. Rainbow Dash had copied her, only claiming a chair rather than the couch. Fluttershy was peacefully curled up in the corner seats, using Rarity's hindquarters as a pillow. The white unicorn was curled up against Applejack, both smiling while the farming mare's hat rested on the corner of a couch.

The only one not fully asleep was Twilight Sparkle, and that was because she was talking with Princess Celestia and Luna. It was the younger of the latter two Princesses that noticed him first, giving her elder sister a soft nudge to gain her attention.

"Ah, so the young hero awakens," Celestia twittered out with a smile, getting a blush from the stallion as he trotted forward. Naruto bowed to her and then to Luna, who averted her eyes quickly with a turn of her head, before giving a nod to Twilight Sparkle.

"As grateful as I am, Princess Celestia," Naruto started with a small frown, "Please tell me how you found out Granny Tsunade was related to me?"

Celestia giggled once again, "Where would the fun be in that?"

"Touché..." Naruto replied before looking at his awestruck sister and lightly whacking her upside the head, "It's rude to stare, Scoot."

"OW! Naruto! That wasn't nice..." the filly said with a pout. Naruto smirked before cradling his own head after it was struck by a book.

"Don't abuse your sister, Naruto!" Nurse Redheart called from behind the front desk, her eyes narrowed as they locked on the stallion in question. The orange stallion glowered at her and raised a hoof.

"One of these days..." he mumbled before looking at the Princesses and the student of Celestia, "So...What exactly happened to Nightmare Moon?"

* * *

**AN: Yeah, I'm cutting it off there. Next chapter will probably be a timeskip, not much, just a few days or so.**

**You want more? You know the drill: REVIEW!**


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